Anyone who doubts that should take time to look and listen to the US President anytime he is in our county – or indeed anytime he speaks of it.

Trump is nothing if not a brash and colourful figure.No one should be surprised by that. He is a Manhattan real estate dealer, so that kind of approach to life pretty much comes with the territory.

That being so, wistful and emotional aren’t words you would normally associate with the current resident of the White House. But Scotland clearly holds a special place in his heart. It is the land of his mother’s birth. Mary Anne MacLeod was born in Lewis and emigrated to New York in the 1930s. And the man who now occupies the Oval Office makes frequent mention of those Hebridean roots.

It’s something that means he sees Scotland in a separate light to the many other countries he visits. “It’s different when your mother was born here,” as he put it. No other country can make that claim. That is why it makes sense for us to engage positively with Trump. Doing so is good politics, good manners and good business.

Trump’s affection for Scotland was on full display over the last few days during his mini-break on these shores. From Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire, he indulged his love of golf but also took the time to showcase his resorts and their scenic surroundings to visiting dignitaries. Which meant we were treated to the rather surreal sight of a UK Prime Minister being welcomed by a US President while on UK soil.

That role reversal simply exposed the power dynamic at play. Trump occupies the most powerful office on Earth and he knows it. For Keir Starmer and John Swinney it was an opportunity to press the case on a range of issues, including US tariffs on Scotch whisky. Hopefully, those conversations proved useful and will lead to a positive outcome.

Those who actually took the time to speak to local residents in Ayrshire, when Trump was staying at Turnberry, found people who were happy to voice their backing for the boost he has delivered to the local economy. Trump is due to return to the UK later this year on an official state visit – this week’s Scottish prelude suggests that can also be a success.

“We can’t let the lamp of freedom and hope flicker, or go out – who will be there to light it back up again”.

During President Trump’s visit to Scotland, Marie appeared on BBC Radio Scotland and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 to share her thoughts on the visit. You can listen to the Radio Two interview below.