Reports are emerging that the UK government, responding to repeated requests from Trump, is putting pressure on the organization that runs the British Open golf championship to assign the 2028 tournament to Trump’s golf course in Scotland.

One source described the talks as direct lobbying from the government, although others said officials had asked about hypothetical problems with the idea, rather than insisting that it happen.

One person with knowledge of the discussions said: “The government is doing everything it can to get close to Trump. One concrete thing is that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been involved in pushing for the Open to return to Trump-owned Turnberry.”

Both the DCMS and Trump Turnberry declined to comment.

Two other people briefed on conversations between the US president and Keir Starmer said Trump had asked the prime minister multiple times about hosting the Open at Turnberry, which the Trump Organization has owned since 2014.
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Hosting the Open could provide a welcome financial boost for SLC Turnberry, the course’s operating company, which is run by the president’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Last year the company lost £1.7m, having made £571,000 in the previous year – its only profit in 10 years.

Trump of course has no shame in using his office to advance his personal business nterests.

The UK has a long, long history of their governments being servile to the US, and this is even when they have Labour governments like they have now. This is not as big a deal as Tony Blair being obscenely obsequious to George W. Bush and giving him cover for the invasion of Iraq. But it does indicate a subservient attitude that seeks to ingratiate themselves with US presidents.

It is not clear that they get anything worthwhile in return for their cravenness. Trump seems to only respect governments that respond with firmness, like China and Russia. Trying to please him only makes him worse.