Trump urged UK leader to oppose wind farm near his golf course: report

President-elect Donald Trump used a post-election meeting with interim United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage to express opposition to wind farms in the United Kingdom, according to The New York Times.

{mosads}Trump has long been against a wind farm constructed near his golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, even fighting unsuccessfully all the way to Great Britain’s highest court to block it, The New York Times said Monday.

The story broke Monday night, at the same time the president-elect tweeted about his business interests.

“Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world.Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!” he wrote.

Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world.Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016

He followed that message up with a second tweet praising Farage and suggesting, “Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States.”

Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016

Trump met with Farage on Nov. 12 at Trump Tower in New York City, following his shocking White House win.

Farage, who helped spearhead the Brexit campaign for Britain to leave the the European Union (EU), is a longtime supporter of Trump and his Republican presidential campaign.

Andy Wigmore, who was present during the pair’s meeting, said Sunday that Trump wanted Farage to campaign against new wind farm developments in the U.K.

“But one thing Mr. Trump kept returning to was the issue of wind farms,” he said, according to The Sun. “He is a complete Anglophile and also absolutely adores Scotland, which he thinks is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.”

“But [Trump] is dismayed that his beloved Scotland has become overrun with ugly wind farms which he believes are a blight on the stunning landscape,” added Wigmore, who lead communications for Leave.EU, one of two groups leading the Brexit effort.

“It is clear that it is an issue he is very passionate about and not because he is against renewable energy or green technology but because he genuinely thinks wind farms are damaging Scotland’s natural beauty.”

The Times notes that Trump owns two golf courses in Scotland, Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links, the second of which is located in the village of Balmedie, near Aberdeenshire.

Trump’s business empire is facing new scrutiny after his White House win, with critics fretting that it may become a conflict of interest for his incoming administration.

The timing and content of his Monday night tweet about Farage raised eyebrows on social media, with Guardian reporter Jon Swaine noting saying the suggestion of Farage as ambassador “publicly disrespect[s]” the current ambassador and could be seen as “preempting the Queen.” 

US President-elect publicly disrespecting @KimDarroch, the current ambassador of a major ally, and, like, preempting the Queen https://t.co/z7qjD7pOqv

— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 22, 2016

Earlier Monday, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said he spoke with Trump’s daughter Ivanka during his recent phone call to America’s new leader.

The president-elect has said his children will run his businesses in a “blind trust,” but because they are also serving on his transition team it’s unclear how that separation would work. 

Ivanka Trump was also photographed alongside her father during a meeting between the president-elect and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week.

But Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump’s former presidential campaign manager, defended the president-elect’s business practices on Monday, saying she’s “very confident” he hasn’t done anything illegal during the presidential transition process.