President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to give Joe Biden's inauguration a miss and escape to Scotland to spend his last day in office playing golf at his club in Turnberry. According to a Sunday Post report, a lot of unusual US military activity has been recorded at one airport that happens to be very close to Trump's flagship Scottish golf resort.
The report states that the visit will also be a family reunion of sorts as Trump's mother was born and raised in Scotland before she migrated to the United States at the age of 18. The news doesn't come much as a surprise as Trump has time and again expressed his displeasure of the election results and continues to claim that widespread voter fraud cost him a win this year.
What Are Trump's Plans?
The Sunday Post report states that Prestwick airport, which is located close to Trump's Turnberry golf resort, has been told to expect the arrival of a US military Boeing 757 plane, one that has reportedly been used by Trump before, on January 19. Biden's inauguration is scheduled to take place the next day.
'There is a booking for an American military version of the Boeing 757 on January 19, the day before the inauguration. That's one that's normally used by the Vice-President but often used by the First Lady. Presidential flights tend to get booked far in advance, because of the work that has to be done around it,' an anonymous source told the media outlet.
Speculation gets rife around the President's visit more because several US Army aircraft have reportedly been spotted carrying out surveillance above Trump's Turnberry resort in recent weeks. An airport source told the newspaper: "The survey aircraft was based at Prestwick for about a week. It is usually a sign Trump is going to be somewhere for an extended period."
What's the Truth?
As of now it is just speculation as there is no concrete detail on Trump's flying plans on January 19. The President's travel is generally booked months in advance but this time the Federal Procurement Data System shows no such trip planned in Scotland. Moreover, Trump can only travel on Air Force One as a matter of national security until the day his successor is sworn into office. And Air Force One is a Boeing 747, not a Boeing 757.
The news amid reports that Trump is set to deviate from tradition and snub Biden's inauguration, instead announcing a re-election bid for 2024 from Air Force One. Trump's disdain for the election results and has still been claiming that widespread voter fraud cost him a win this year.
If Trump's really decides to stay away from Biden's swearing in ceremony, he will only be the fourth President in the history of the United States to do so. Earlier three outgoing presidents, John Adams in 1801, John Quincy Adams in 1829 and Andrew Johnson in 1869, had refused to attend their successor's inaugurations.
As of now, it remains unclear where Trump and his family will shift once they exit White House. Trump has listed his new residence as a private club but he won't be able to stay there all around the year.
