Donald Trump is not a man given to understatement.
And, as he descended on the Scottish Parliament to give his views on wind energy, his answers to questions were characteristically bullish and full of bravado.
Plans for wind turbines he did not like were dismissed as “ridiculous”, projects being considered would not just have a negative impact, they would “decimate” the area.
And when asked for his proof on his claim that wind turbines would hit Scottish tourism, he said: “I am the evidence.”
While most parliament committees see a few interested visitors and a handful of media, this one was packed out with an overspill room.
In an interview with Holyrood, convener Murdo Fraser had said the committee was prepared for the media circus that followed and, as Trump, his right-hand man George Sorial and son Donald Trump Jnr made their entrance along with members of the campaign group Communities Against Turbines, it really was.
He was clear on his message to the committee. If Scotland continues its support for windfarms then it will go broke.
Dismissing any claims by members of the committee that jobs could be created and bring about the “re-industrialisation” of Scotland, he said any small numbers of jobs created would be offset by the hit on tourism
He said: “Jobs are being created overseas, very few jobs are being created here. The few that are created here will be offset by what has been lost in the tourism industry.”
Trump’s objections to wind energy in Scotland have stemmed from the development of an offshore turbine development off the coast of Aberdeenshire, “monsters” that would ruin the view from his £750m golf course development.
He had already claimed that both former First Minister Jack McConnell and his successor Alex Salmond had given him assurances it would not go ahead – both of them have denied this.
But Trump went even further in the meeting, saying that he had discussed windfarms at length in a New York restaurant in October 2007 with Alex Salmond.
Both politicians, he said, had “pooh-poohed” the chances of the turbine project of getting the go ahead, because of the impact it would have on the MoD and shipping lanes.
He claimed that he had been “lured in” to spend money in Scotland and said: “After I had invested my money, they came and announced these atrocious plans.”
Trump had arrived early at the parliament, avoiding many of the TV cameras laying in wait.
But there were chaotic scenes as he left, with a large protest from members of Communities Against Turbines who had marched through Edinburgh, cheering the man who has highlighted their cause, set against boos from the members of a protest organised by Friends of the Earth.
Following the meeting the partners behind the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, Technip and Vattenfall, issued a statement calling the Trump Organisation’s objections to its plans as “disproportionate”.
Spokesman David Rodger, said : “If the EOWDC does not go ahead it puts at risk the development of Scotland’s, the UK’s and Europe’s ambitions for low cost energy from offshore wind and a £7bn boost to the UK economy.
“It will also prove a major missed economic opportunity for the North East of Scotland.”
And Niall Stuart, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “Let’s be absolutely clear: the facts are that wind power is efficient, effective and reliable, and wind and other renewables provided 35 per cent of Scotland’s electricity needs last year.”
Neil Evans
Neil is Holyrood's Environment Correspondent, joining in 2012 after working for newspapers in Corby, Portsmouth and Aberdeen. He was born in Reading but has lived in Scotland since 2007. His first attempt at "being green" was coming up with the idea of an edible crisp packet while at primary school. It didn't catch...
…….and no matter how many are built, they will still winnae work when the wind disnae blaw!
Let's have intelligent renewables that do not require back-up.
Donald Trump has been dominating the Scottish headlines for days if not weeks. I believe his outburst on wind turbines is short-sighted and does not take account of the technological development process that made his own country so prosperous.
Did George Stephenson listen to his critics in 1829 when they said his new Rocket steam locomotive was noisy, slow, visually obtrusive and inefficient?