While Digging Up 1,235 Acres For His Golf Course, Donald Trump Says Wind Farms Are 'Destroying' Scotland

Stephen Lacey, Climate Progress
February 10, 2012 | 6 Comments

Real estate mogul and former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has outdone himself this time.

After starting construction on a 1,235 acre coastal golf course on rural land in Scotland that will feature two golf courses, 950 houses and a luxury hotel, Trump is now complaining that the Scottish Minister is “hell-bent on destroying Scotland’s coastline” with offshore wind projects.

Last summer, Trump vowed to fight an 11-turbine offshore wind project proposed for waters 1.5 miles away from his sprawling complex where bulldozers have been ripping up untouched grasses and flattening coastal sand dunes to make way for an artificial golf course.

In a letter to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond sent this week, Trump hilariously says he will try to “save Scotland” (yes, really) from the plight of wind turbines being proposed for the country’s coastline:

“With the reckless installation of these monsters, you will single-handedly have done more damage to Scotland than virtually any event in Scottish history.”

Trump also said he would never be “on board” with the project, which he called “insanity”.

He added: “As a matter of fact, I have just authorised my staff to allocate a substantial amount of money to launch an international campaign to fight your plan to surround Scotland’s coast with many thousands of wind turbines.”

He added: “Please understand that I am doing this to save Scotland.”

One Scottish politician called Trump’s comments “desperate” and “embarrassing” — perhaps two of the biggest understatements of the year so far.

Trump’s letter comes after a multi-year battle with local landowners who don’t want to be forced from their property to make way for the golf course. In one case, Trump built a fence around a local homeowner’s property he deemed “ugly” and then billed him for half the costs!

Yes, this is coming from a man who ran for U.S. president, and who now sees himself as a serious candidate for Secretary of State in order to “be in a position to negotiate against some of these countries.”

Trump has not signaled what his negotiating strategy would be. But if history is any guide, it will likely involve sending hypocritical letters to countries threatening his pet projects.

This article was originally published on Climate Progress and was republished with permission.

6 Comments

Sandy Caruso
March 1, 2012

@Jamesdavis, perhaps you should watch and HEAR some of the responses from dems before you make remarks about republicans.
There is plenty of stupidy to go around. Just talk to our educated college students. We did and we found their spelling is atrocious, they didn't know the name of our current VPOTUS, one even asked the "house number" for the Gettysberg Address. Oh...BTW, they were dems that we interviewed.

Benny Johansson
February 23, 2012

Donald Trump!
You are absolutely right, to expell these monsters and taxpayers money-eaters, environmental destroyers of a monumental size.
420? (Insane Numbers). Of them was dismissed, after the most extensive scale of legal and voting probation in NINE levels of justice in Sweden, from the local voting to the Government?

During the period of Two Years I worked hard to uncover the secret of the worse blackguards and smiling cheters, and the worse and dangerous, construction ever made, even included the electric chair? You can not understand the danger before knowing about Low Noice an High Noice, Ultra and Infra-noice. And that of
Braines destroyed by it, school-childs as Zombies? No memory? EPILEPSI, No wild animals, no ECO-systems? No fish? No hunting?
Dead seas? No Insects? No Pollination? No Vegetation? Nothing? Lost, Dead and Gone. None? People???

Low Frequent Noise can reach abt.180 miles,in air, and 500 miles below the water-surface. Disturbing all life incl. ECO-systems. People will fly to shelter, in the dreadful noice.
The noice can even damage your brain, children, or infants as well, in a very short time! And
it could be barely heard, even at sleep?

It is complex and hard to dig out, but you can start read (Google) the book; 'WIND TURBINE SYNDROME', By, MD., PhD., Nina Pierpont, USA!
And; The report; 'A Problem With Wind Power',
By, Eric Rosenbloom, USA.
Brain-damage research; Ysbrand van der Werf, Inst. for Neuro-science, The Netherlands.

Luke Divemaster
February 23, 2012

The Apprentice. Why do those people in Scotland need their homes? What good are untouched grasses, sand dunes and the natural environment? The Apprentice. Why do the Scotts need clean, affordable energy? Old wealthy people need to get drunk and try to get a little white ball in a hole while making a loud-mouthed crook even wealthier. The Apprentice.

Thomas M
February 14, 2012

Perhaps he is worried the added turbulence will mess up his hair.....

James Davis
February 13, 2012

I can understand why Trump is a republican; he is too stupid to be a democrat. If I was Scotland, I'd put up thousands of wind farms - right in front of his property and then sue him for blocking the view of the wind farms.

William Fitch
February 10, 2012

Hi:

LOL... that is all funny... in a sad way...
I think there is a new trend afoot that goes something like this:
"Relish in as much blatant hypocrisy as one can possibly generate in a day. Flaunt it in the faces of all who you disdain for not being lateral with you financially. This behavior advertises your power and wealth through the fact that you can get away with it and still hold on to your social and monetary standing."
It sort of reminds me of some old Spartan Hollywood film where the warrior stands on top of the castle wall and shouts, "go ahead, shoot!! You can't hurt me...ha...ha..." LOL...
The appropriate "sound byte" I believe is simply, "The Arrogance of Wealth".. not really new at all....

.....Bill

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Stephen Lacey

I am a reporter with ClimateProgress.org, a blog published by the Center for American Progress. I am former editor and producer for RenewableEnergyWorld.com, where I contributed stories and hosted the Inside Renewable Energy Podcast. Keep...