Scottish protesters trolled President Donald with bagpipes, bold signage, and biting sarcasm during his recent visit to Scotland, as protests across the country made their disapproval loud and clear.
One of the standout protest moments, now gaining viral traction online, comes from a TikTok posted by user @lets_skidaddle.
The video features a protester in Aberdeen holding a sign that reads:
“I pray that ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will be the name of Trump’s cellmate in prison.”
You can see all the other signs and scenery from the protests in the video below:
Elsewhere in Aberdeen, locals waved signs and played music in protest of Trump’s appearance, while in Edinburgh, demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. consulate carrying Palestinian flags and chanting for Trump’s deportation.
In a conversation with NPR, protester Niamh Cunvin-Smith, who traveled from Inverness to attend the rally, summed up a common sentiment among attendees:
“Why on earth is this convicted felon allowed to come into our country and play golf when the people do not like him?”
Their frustration reflects a broader national mood. A recent poll found seven in ten Scots hold unfavorable views of Trump—and Elon Musk’s business dealings, for that matter.
One Edinburgh protester held a sign reading, “Scotland is already great,” while another paired their sign with a bagpipe, which read:
“At least this bag of hot air serves a purpose.”
And in what might be the most Scottish protest tactic yet, a lone bagpiper perfectly timed their performance to drown out Trump and newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a meeting at Trump’s Turnberry golf course.
The viral moment quickly became a fan favorite online.
Needless to say, Trump’s vacation, I mean work trip, is going surprisingly “swell.”
What’s also surprising is the reaction from Scottish protesters since Trump’s own mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, is originally from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. A native Scottish Gaelic speaker, she immigrated to New York at 18, later marrying Fred Trump and raising five children. She passed away in 2000.
On this trip, Trump unveiled a new 18-hole golf course—his third in Scotland—which he named in honor of his mother. The course joins his properties in Aberdeen and Turnberry. But not all MacLeods are celebrating the tribute.
So does the president’s MacLeod name hold water in Scotland?
Like most family relationships, it’s complicated. A distant relative of Trump named Janet MacLeod-Trotter protested in Edinburgh, holding a sign that read, “MacLeods against Trump.” She mentioned that the MacLeods are ashamed of Trump and his actions on international and national issues, claiming that the president is “misusing his heritage” by opening another golf course.
MacLeod Trotter admonished Trump in an NPR article:
“He doesn’t do anything to help the people of Lewis, where his mother came from. He just comes over to buy up golf courses and line his own pockets.”
And Trump’s pockets may be heavier lately, thanks in part to a new U.S.-EU trade deal. Though framed as a win for the administration, it includes increased import tariffs for U.S. consumers. And in Scotland, taxpayers are footing the multimillion-dollar bill for police and security operations tied to the visit.
Amid all this “winning,” the president kept avoiding questions about his connection to late ex-non-best-friend-or-acquaintance-and-sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has made every excuse, from offering to pardon Epstein’s ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell to demanding that the media focus on former President Bill Clinton and his visits to Epstein’s island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
After landing in Glasgow last Friday, Trump snapped at reporters:
“I’m focused on making deals. I’m not focused on conspiracy theories that you are. I mean, I watch you people — it’s so sad.”
And it is sad… for him.
Throughout social media, viewers praised the creativity and bravery of Scottish protesters, from quick-witted TikTok videos to the now-viral bagpipe moment. What was meant to showcase Trump’s influence and legacy was instead overshadowed by visible, raw, and often humorous public dissent.
You can view the reactions below:
@bigdavestone/TikTok
@belfastboy1/TikTok
@tkon.og/TikTok
@gaiablue1/TikTok
@roxxymom/TikTok
@just.play.nice4/TikTok
@amski0718/TikTok
@genxladyforequality/TikTok
@mommabeare6/TikTok
@retrofaerietiff/TikTok
@norma.keller/TikTok
And sincerest apologies to Europe, as Trump is scheduled to visit again in September for a state visit with King Charles III at Windsor Castle in London.
U.K. protesters, start prepping those signs.
