VIP pins, Scottish shortbread and plush surroundings greet officers who choose Trump Turnberry for
The Trump family is making money off the military--that is for sure.
Trump’s Scottish resort hosted military for longer stays
VIP pins, Scottish shortbread and plush surroundings greet officers who choose Trump Turnberry for their layovers.
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/17/trump-scotland-turnberry-1499298
By BEN SCHRECKINGER 09/17/2019 05:00 AM EDT
TURNBERRY, SCOTLAND— Air Force officers who have earned medals for their tours of combat theaters can pick up some more brass with a short pitstop in Southwest Scotland.
As part of its relationship with the Air Force, President Donald Trump’s Turnberry resort occasionally gifts high-ranking officers a version of its “Pride Pin,” a lapel pin featuring the property’s iconic lighthouse — an honor reserved for VIPs — upon their arrival, according a resort staffer familiar with the practice.
Rank-and-file members can expect a more basic welcome package in their rooms, featuring goodies like Scottish shortbread.
A five-day visit to Turnberry and the surrounding region revealed that the regular visits from Air Force crews on layovers from Prestwick Airport have become a major facet of the life of the resort. It also revealed that, rather than being restricted to single-night refueling stops, some visits last multiple nights, expanding the known dimensions of the relationship between the president’s luxury resort and the U.S. military.
One reason for the multi-night stays, which were described by a half-dozen staffers, is inclement weather that prevents the crews from taking off from the airport 40 minutes up the road. In at least one instance earlier this year, a crew was laid up for multiple nights while their plane underwent repairs, allowing them to hit the links on Turnberry’s world-class course and purchase mementos from the pro shop, where a child’s golf shirt runs 55 British pounds, about $68 at the current exchange rate.
A Trump Organization spokeswoman, Amanda Miller, did not respond to an email requesting comment.
The extended contact has allowed service members to bond with staff, who are tickled that the airmen sometimes address them as “sir” or “ma’am,” rather than vice versa. Occasionally friendships continue on social media.
= new reply since forum marked as read
