The US president did a lacklustre impression<\/a> of James Bond<\/a> star Sir Sean Connery<\/a>\u2019s accent as he addressed guests and the media from the Scottish resort. <\/p>\n Referring to difficulties getting the new site approved<\/a>, Mr Trump said: \u201cThis has been an unbelievable development.<\/p>\n “The land, they said it couldn’t get zoned, it was an impossibility.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Donald Trump praised Sean Connery\u2019s help in opening his new golf course (PA Wire)<\/p>\n “And Sean Connery said ‘let the bloody bloke build his golf course’. Once he said that everything came into line.\u201d <\/p>\n Mr Trump previously paid tribute to the late Sir Sean after his passing in 2020, saying: \u201cThe legendary actor, 007 Sean Connery, has past (sic) on to even greener fairways. He was quite a guy, and a tough character. I was having a very hard time getting approvals for a big development in Scotland when Sean stepped in and shouted, \u2018Let him build the damn thing\u2019. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was all I needed, everything went swimmingly from there. He was so highly regarded & respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided. Sean was a great actor and an even greater man. Sincere condolences to his family!\u201d<\/p>\n This is not the first time President Trump has suggested Sir Sean had been influential in getting approval for the new development, although doubts have been raised about the veracity of the claims. <\/p>\n In 2008 Connery is reported to have said of the development<\/a>: \u201cDuring tough economic times, this is a major vote of confidence in Scotland\u2019s tourist industry and our ability to rise to the challenge. I look forward to seeing a new gem in the north-east that is good for Aberdeenshire and good for Scotland.\u201d<\/p>\n But Aberdeenshire councillor Martin Ford, who was chair of the planning committee that initially refused Trump\u2019s application to build the resort, told the Guardian: \u201cMr Connery was not involved in the due process that led to the granting of planning permission for a golf resort at Menie. He did not submit a letter of representation to the council, appear at the planning hearing, or at the public local inquiry.\u201d<\/p>\n Ford added: \u201cOpinions offered in press articles are not material considerations in decisions on planning applications.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Trump said he discussed Sir Sean\u2019s support for the golf course with Scottish first minister John Swinney<\/a> on Monday night, as the two attended a private dinner.<\/p>\n They then met more formally on Tuesday ahead of the opening ceremony for the course. At Tuesday\u2019s meeting Mr Swinney raised the plight of Gazans with the US president, pleading for Mr Trump to do more to support those suffering from malnourishment. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Sean Connery and actress Daniela Bianchi in James Bond film ‘From Russia With Love’ (Getty Images)<\/p>\n At the launch of the golf course, Mr Trump said he is “working together” with Israel “to try and get things straightened out” in Gaza amid warnings of severe mass starvation in the enclave.<\/p>\n After opening his new golf course in Menie, Aberdeenshire, a reporter from the crowd asked the US president “what will you say next to Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>“, the prime minister of Israel.<\/p>\n “We’re working together to try and get things straightened out,” Mr Trump said.<\/p>\n Earlier during his speech at the course, the US leader said he would fly back to Washington to “put out fires all over the world”.<\/p>\n Mr Trump\u2019s meeting with Mr Swinney came after he spent the day with Sir Keir Starmer<\/a>, taking more than an hour of media questions alongside the prime minister. <\/p>\n![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3e395f01c00e8d8376f8128646292e0cY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzUzODcxNjE5-2.81131983.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Sean](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-886689726.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n