John Swinney: Donald Trump's state visit invitation should be revoked

The First Minister said he would however still meet the US President if the visit does go ahead, and said he maintains his party’s anti-Trident stance.

On Thursday Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally handed over the invitation from King Charles III to Mr Trump for the state visit, which will take place later this year.

This also includes a visit to Scotland earlier in the year to plan the logistics of the visit.

It has been described as “unprecedented” as second-term US presidents are not normally given a second state visit to the UK.

However, after angry scenes in the Oval Office on Friday saw a meeting between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky descend into chaos, there have been repeated calls for this invitation to be revoked.

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Speaking to BBC The Sunday Show, Mr Swinney said: “A spokesperson for the US president said they would end all support for Ukraine.

“If that is the case I cannot see in all conscience how we can take forward a second state visit to the UK.

“He is not a steadfast ally of ours in our battle for freedom, and he must be.”

Shortly after the Oval Office meeting on Friday, in which Mr Trump accused President Zelensky of “gambling with millions of lives” and “gambling with World War Three”, the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for the state visit invitation to be withdrawn.

Posting on X, Mr Flynn said: “Starmer had better get back up off his knees and revoke that offer of a state visit.”

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie also said on Friday night: “Only 24 hours ago Keir Starmer was fawning over Donald Trump and telling us how close their relationship was, but surely even he must see from the scenes this evening what a profound danger that friendship represents.

“The invitation for a state visit should never have been made in the first place, and it is time for it to be withdrawn.

“It must be obvious how much danger there is in it, both for Starmer’s government and for the country.”

However Mr Swinney says he would still meet with Mr Trump if he comes to Scotland.

He said: “I’ve always said I think it’s important we have dialogue with Trump so we can protect and promote the interests of our country.

“I have been very clear I will do that - I have faced criticism for that, but as First Minister people expect me to engage with the president of the US.

“That doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything he says or does - the events in the Oval Office were enormously damaging to the liberal values and democratic systems we cherish in western Europe.

“We need to work with the US to secure that peace, but they must be a willing partner and it didn’t look like that on Friday night.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected these calls from Scotland for the state visit to be revoked.

Speaking to BBC Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir said: “I’ve seen people ramping up the rhetoric and taking to Twitter and saying what they would do - good for them, I’m not interested in that.

“I’m interested in what are the practical steps, what are the bridge building that I can do, what are the relationships that I can mend and take forward to take us to lasting peace in Europe.

“I’m not going to be diverted by the SNP or others trying to ramp up the rhetoric without really appreciating what is the single most important thing at stake here - we’re talking about peace in Europe.”