John Swinney accused of taking Tartan Day 'jolly' while Donald Trump 'trade crisis' rages

The First Minister said he had no plans to meet with members of the Trump Administration during his weekend in the US.

John Swinney has been accused of taking a "jolly" in New York while Scottish businesses scramble to come to terms with tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.

The First Minister has flown across the Atlantic to represent Scotland at Tartan Week 2025.

The SNP leader will arrive in New York later today and undertake engagements focused on promoting Scotland as a place to do business.

But the visit has been overshadowed by the Trump Administration's so-called "Liberation Day" which saw tariffs slapped on exports to the US - with UK firms now facing 10 per cent charges from tomorrow.

A spokesman for the First Minister said there had not been attempts made to meet with anyone in the US Government during Swinney's trip to NYC.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Lib Dems leader, said: "In the middle of a trade crisis, taxpayer funded flights and overseas government missions should be being used to deliver for those Scottish businesses under threat of tariffs.

"Instead it seems like John is on a jolly.”

Swinney said yesterday he had to be mindful that international affairs was a matter reserved to the UK Government.

Speaking to journalists in the Scottish Parliament, he said: "The purpose of my visit is about promoting Scotland, engaging with the diaspora community, and doing what I can to promote trade and business activity in the US.

"We don't have any scheduled meetings with the US Government, but as you know, I have already spoken with President Trump, and we've taken our discussions forward, on the tariffs issues, through the channels of the UK Government, who obviously carry responsibility for international trade, and will continue to do so."

The Scottish Government said the First Minister would be meeting senior investors to discuss renewable energy investment opportunities in Scotland.

The SNP leader is also due to speak at a Scottish Chambers of Commerce reception to support Scottish-based businesses pursuing opportunities in the US market.

Speaking ahead of his engagements, the First Minister said: "Tartan Week is a remarkable celebration of the global reach of Scottish culture, heritage, innovation, and trade.

"Scotland is one of the best places in the world to do business – that is the clear message I will be taking to the USA today. We saw evidence of that recently with the announcement by visual effects company Halon that it would be investing £28 million to create a studio in Glasgow, creating up to 250 jobs over the next three years.

"As a priority trade partner, we already enjoy strong economic links with the United States, links that reflect broader social and cultural ties developed over many years. It is our largest inward investor and second largest export market, so it is crucial we build on existing relationships to seize future opportunities.

"Doing so will benefit businesses in Scotland and create jobs, while contributing to our economic growth, and the prosperity of our nation."

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