Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump will hold a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony at Trump Turnberry in Scotland on Friday, the day after the Brexit vote where voters decided whether or not the United Kingdom should remain part of the European Union (EU).
Voters who support Britain leaving the EU want to have full control over the borders and want to stop the free flow of immigration. They also argue that being a member of the EU is holding Britain back because of too many regulations on businesses.
Trump has said that he would “be more inclined to leave [the EU], for a lot of reasons, like having a lot less bureaucracy.” He has repeatedly voiced opposition and concern for open-border policies, especially due to an increased risk of radical Islamic terrorism.
The billionaire’s trip to Scotland to visit his golf course has come under scrutiny from some Republican strategists.
“After Trump’s speech going after Hillary Clinton, one could imagine him doing a series of rallies across the United States to pound that same speech home in battleground states,” stated Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist. “When Trump chooses to go to his golf resort in Scotland, it sends a message to the fundraising community as well as Republicans on the fence that he’s not making smart strategic decisions.”
“It’s a strategic mistake,” GOP strategist and former Republican National Committee (RNC) staffer Doug Heye stated. “This isn’t even his first trip to Scotland during this campaign — he would be better served to spend time in Ohio and in North Carolina and in Virginia, and the other states that will decide this election.”