Donald Trump’s Scottish golf course in Aberdeenshire, Trump International Scotland, reported deepening losses in 2023 despite a surge in turnover, with pre-tax losses nearly doubling to $1.83 million. This marks the 11th straight year of losses for the resort, with a total deficit of about $20 million, and the directors, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump, remain committed to their vision for the property and foresee a positive fiscal improvement in the medium to long term.
Trump was found guilty of falsely valuing the property in Aberdeenshire, with repeated misrepresentations and overvaluations totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, attempting to defraud investors, partners, and financial institutions. A new 18-hole links course is set to open next summer at Trump International Scotland, overseen by Eric Trump and executive vice president Sarah Malone, with increased sales across all revenue streams despite increased expenditures.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire reported a surge in pre-tax profits, increasing from $250,000 to almost $5 million in 2023, following seven years of losses. Golf revenues were up by 35% in 2022, although total turnover slightly decreased. Turnberry made headlines by announcing premium fees up to $1,300 per round to play the Ailsa course, the most expensive in the UK. The senior Trump acquired the resort for over $50 million in 2014, retaining a financial interest.
When Trump opened the golf club in Aberdeenshire, the original proposal included a hotel, holiday apartments, golf villas, and houses for sale, but the court discovered that Trump had falsely claimed that 2,500 homes were built against which he borrowed heavily. In reality, no development had taken place, and the golf club had been running deficits since opening, amassing millions in losses. Bill Gindlesperger of USA Today contributed to this report, highlighting the financial challenges faced by Trump’s Scottish golf properties.
