Eric Trump hits out at Scottish plan to debate his father’s golf courses

Donald Trump’s son Eric has lashed out at Scottish politicians ahead of a parliamentary debate on whether to launch an investigation into the financing of his father’s resorts.

The debate in the Scottish parliament, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, was called by Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, who is urging the government to seek a so-called unexplained wealth order (UWO) against the Trump Organization’s two golf courses in Scotland.

A UWO is a relatively new piece of British criminal legislation, requiring the subject to explain how exactly their assets were acquired. If their reasoning is not satisfactory, then the assets are “presumed to be recoverable property,” meaning they could be seized.

Eric Trump, an executive vice president of the Trump Organization, hit back late Tuesday, singling out Harvie.

“Patrick Harvie is nothing more than a national embarrassment with his pathetic antics that only serve himself and his political agenda,” he said, according to a statement quoted in multiple British newspapers.

“If Harvie and the rest of the Scottish government continue to treat overseas investors like this, it will deter future investors from conducting business in Scotland, ultimately crushing their economy, tourism and hospitality industries,” he added.

Harvie, as a Green lawmaker, sits with the opposition and is not part of the Scottish government.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously said that any investigation is the responsibility of Police Scotland and the Crown Office. More recently, in January Sturgeon said it was a matter for Scotland’s Lord Advocate.

Wednesday’s debate will be followed by a vote. While it is not binding, it would put significant pressure on Sturgeon to seek an UWO.

Harvie had told the Scotsman newspaper that given that Donald Trump was no longer president and that his business dealings were under investigation in the U.S., Scotland should also take a closer look at how the two local resorts had been funded.

On Wednesday, he responded to Eric Trump on the BBC, saying that “as entertaining as Eric Trump’s tantrum is, he doesn’t say where his dad got the money to buy his Scottish golf courses.”