JOHN Swinney hosted Eric Trump in a secret Bute House meeting - with both insisting they chatted only about GOLF.
The First Minister and the US President’s son apparently swerved politics despite previous clashes between Donald Trump and the Scottish Government.
Eric jetted into Edinburgh Airport unexpectedly on Thursday in the Trump-branded jet - days after his family’s Turnberry golf complex was attacked by vandals.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Trump insisted: “We did not discuss Scottish or US politics but concentrated on golf.”
The meeting came days after Mr Swinney called for the US President’s state visit invitation to be cancelled.
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay blasted the SNP leader for his public statements condemning Donald Trump before meeting with his family due to their business interests in Scotland.
He said: “One minute John Swinney is making grandstanding demands to cancel Trump’s state visit, and the next he’s reportedly thanking the president for investing in Scotland.
“He either can’t remember what he said or is a shameless hypocrite and opportunist.
"Take your pick.”
Both parties at the secret Bute House meeting flatly denied speaking about politics despite Trump’s business group reacting with fury when the SNP leader backed Kamala Harris ahead of the US election in November.
After the near hour-long meeting, Eric Trump insisted politics had not come up and the discussion had solely been about golf.
Eric is a senior executive within his father Donald’s business - the Trump Organization - and helps to run the two golf courses owned by the Trumps in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire.
He said in a statement: “Our discussions focused solely on the Trump Organization’s commitment to creating in Trump Turnberry and Trump International in Aberdeenshire two of the most iconic golf destinations in the world.
“We did not discuss Scottish or US politics but concentrated on golf. It was a very positive and constructive meeting about business and investment.”
Mr Trump added: “I’m delighted to say that it was a very warm and friendly meeting and this is the first time that a First Minister has invited us to Bute House.
“The First Minister thanked me for the Trump Organization’s ongoing colossal investment and commitment to Scotland.
“This is the first time that I’ve heard those words from the First Minister and they were hugely appreciated.”
The Scottish Government confirmed the meeting with Mr Trump and Sarah Malone, the executive vice president of Trump International.
A spokeswoman said the meeting was to “discuss the contribution Trump International provides to Scotland’s economy”.
She added: “The meeting with Mr Trump provided an opportunity to discuss Scotland’s investment potential and the First Minister was pleased to hear about the company’s continued commitment to Scotland, in particular Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire.”
But the First Minister was slammed for hosting the meeting by the Scottish Greens.
Co-leader Lorna Slater said it was a “bad call which sends a terrible message”.
She said: “This meeting is totally inappropriate. Eric Trump is not a normal businessman.
“He is a right-wing extremist that has peddled misinformation and conspiracy theories.
“He is a figurehead for an administration that is wrecking our planet while cosying up to Vladimir Putin and showing total contempt for human rights and democracy.”
However senior government sources said there was no reason for Mr Swinney not to meet with Mr Trump given his business interests in Scotland.
The son of the US President arrived in Edinburgh on the Trump branded plane on Thursday morning - causing a stir among those arriving at the airport.
The flight is thought to have landed shortly before 10am.
News of its arrival saw dozens of plane-spotters heading to Edinburgh Airport to get a look at the impressive aircraft.
Cops arrived to speak to curious members of the public who showed up throughout the day.
Their presence is thought to have been sparked by security concerns following vandalism at Trump Turnberry in the early hours of Saturday.
The plane was parked next to a yellow DHL plane.
Pictures posted online, thought to have been taken shortly after the plane touched down, revealed a silver Mercedes people carrier on the tarmac next to it.
Two vehicles of exactly the same make and model were later seen parked up outside the First Minister’s official residence, Bute House.
It is not clear how long they had been parked there, but they were sitting outside the residence from as early as 1.50pm.
A black BMW was parked in between the two silver motors.
The three vehicles did a quick circuit of Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square about half an hour later.
And at 2.25pm the motors, along with a Tesla car, entered the rear car park of Bute House.
Uniformed cops stood guard at the exit to the residence.
Mr Trump is thought to have then left via the rear door of the building and jumped into the BMW before the cavalcade drove off in the direction of Edinburgh City Centre.
Around an hour later Mr Trump and those accompanying him were seen leaving Gleneagles Townhouse, a lavish hotel in the city’s St Andrew Square
Previously the First Minister called on Sir Keir Starmer to withdraw the invitation of a UK state visit to the President - labelling it “unthinkable”.
He said the events in the Oval Office last week where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was berated by the Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance as “disturbing” and said a state visit could only happen if it would “help solidify US support for Ukraine”.
The SNP leader has no say in whether there is a state visit, but could meet Mr Trump if he visits Scotland during his time in the UK.
Mr Trump had previously labelled Mr Swinney “nasty” for endorsing his rival Kamala Harris in November.
He said in November his father would not “lose any sleep” over the comments - but blasted the SNP for making it “virtually impossible” to do business in Scotland.
He added: “Again, my father adores Scotland, and you have a First Minister coming out and just being fairly nasty in the days leading up.
“I mean, who did that benefit? Did that benefit Scotland?”
Eric was in Scotland just days after his dad’s Ayrshire golf course was vandalised.
Trump Turnberry had red paint thrown over the outside of the building and the words “Gaza is not for sale” branded on a green.
Yesterday, police said a 33-year-old was held in connection with the incident on Sunday March 8.
Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President of Trump International, Scotland, said: ‘’The criminal incident last week is under investigation by the police and will not impact our business or the Trump Organization’s ongoing investment in Scotland.’’
Donald Trump bought Turnberry with a reported £100m investment in 2014.
