Donald Trump has reignited his long-standing feud with wind energy, branding the turbines visible from his Aberdeenshire golf course as “ugly monsters” during a press conference at his Turnberry resort in Scotland.
Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Trump repeated his criticism of wind power, calling it an “expensive form of energy” that “destroys the beauty of your fields, your plains and your waterways”.
Trump has been a vocal opponent of wind farms for over a decade, notably campaigning against the offshore wind development near his Scottish resort.
At the recent event, he claimed, “When we go to Aberdeen, you’ll see some of the ugliest windmills you’ve ever seen, the height of a 50-storey building,” asserting that wind energy “needs massive subsidy, and you are paying in Scotland and in the UK, and all over the place, massive subsidies to have these ugly monsters all over the place”.
Instead, Trump advocated for increased exploitation of North Sea oil and gas, positioning himself firmly against the direction of the UK’s green energy policies.
While Prime Minister Starmer emphasised the need for an energy mix, Trump derided wind turbines not just on economic grounds, but also for their perceived impact on property values, scenery, and wildlife – complaints he has aired repeatedly both in the UK and the United States.
Environmental and industry groups have consistently challenged Trump’s claims, pointing to independent research demonstrating that wind energy is among the most cost-effective and clean forms of electricity, with modern turbines engineered to minimise environmental impact.
Despite this evidence, Trump’s remarks have continued to fuel debate in Scotland and beyond about the visual and economic impact of wind farms and the future of the UK’s energy mix.
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Trump’s latest outburst highlights the ongoing clash between large-scale renewable projects and local interests, particularly in areas like Aberdeenshire, where energy transition meets entrenched resistance from high-profile opponents.
As the UK accelerates its green transition, the controversy over wind power remains as charged – and as visible on the landscape – as ever.
