Donald Trump 'Might Have' Discussed Wind Farms With Nigel Farage, He Tells New York Times

Trump takes questions from journalists he says he hates.
President-elect Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he leaves the New York Times building following a meeting
President-elect Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he leaves the New York Times building following a meeting
Mark Lennihan/AP

Donald Trump “might have” raised his controversial opposition to wind farms in Scotland when he met Nigel Farage, he has told journalists from the newspaper he hates most.

Trump apparently conceded this on Tuesday at a meeting with New York Times reporters - having previously said this meeting was cancelled because they were “not nice” to him, then announcing it was back on.

Trump has long opposed wind energy in Scotland, fearing the farms blight the views of people playing at his upscale golf resort.

In December last year, the Supreme Court ruled against the tycoon, then not expected to win the presidential election, in his battle to stop the construction of an offshore wind farm near the course.

Trump, pictured at his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland last year, lost a legal battle to stop the construction of an offshore wind farm near his upscale resort
Trump, pictured at his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland last year, lost a legal battle to stop the construction of an offshore wind farm near his upscale resort
Scott Heppell/AP

Farage was the first British politician Trump spoke to after being elected president and their relationship has caused massive unease in London, as the Government was faced to respond to Trump’s tweet suggesting, apropos nothing, that Farage should be Britain’s ambassador to the UK.

Farage has meanwhile offered his services as a go-between for Trump and Downing Street.

The paper’s campaign reporter Maggie Haberman said Trump told them he “might have brought it up”, when asked about wind farms and the Farage meeting.

"I might have brought it up," Trump says of Farage meeting and wind farms.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

Trump’s election raises questions about his personal involvement in his business empire, including the Scotland golf courses.

According to Haberman, Trump told her and her colleagues that his business brand was “hotter” since his election but he envisaged his children gradually taking it over.

Trump acknowledges the DC hotel he owns is "probably a more valuable asset than it was before." Says the brand is "hotter."

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

Trump says "in theory" he could continue signing checks at his company, but he is "phasing that out now" and giving to his kids.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

Apparently unabashed in a room of journalists he has ruthlessly attacked on Twitter, Trump took questions on a range of subjects that are currently giving America a headache.

...Such as whether the man he’s appointed chief strategist to his presidency is a racist white nationalist.

On Bannon:"If I thought he was a racist or alt-right or any of the things, the terms we could use, I wouldn't even think about hiring him."

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

Trump gets asked again about the alt-right conference. 'Boy you are really into" this issue, Trump replies. Then disavows again.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

"I think it would be very very divisive for the country," Trump says about prosecuting the Clintons.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

...And what he thought of the anguish on Barack Obama’s face when they met at The White House after the election.

"I had a great meeting with President Obama," Trump says, says he never met him before. "I really liked him a lot."

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

...And what Trump actually took away from their conversation.

'He did tell me what he thought were the biggest problems, in particular one problem," Trump says. Won't say what that was.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

...And whether his America First rhetoric means the country will be less willing to intervene abroad.

"I don't think we should be a nation-builder," Trump says of the US role in the world.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

...And what concrete, detailed plans he has for ending a brutal civil war.

Trump on Syria: "We have to end that craziness that's going on in Syria."

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

...And whether his son-in-law could bring peace to the Middle East.

Trump: Jared Kushner could help make peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.

— Elisabeth Bumiller (@BumillerNYT) November 22, 2016

...And what he actually thought of the newspaper whose office he was in.

Trump laughs he would "live about 20 years longer if I didn't" read the Times.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016

As Trump left The New York Times building, he was booed.

Close

What's Hot