With U.S. President Donald Trump set to arrive in Scotland later this month — and a second state visit scheduled for September — resistance is already mounting across the UK. And it’s not quiet.
From protest posters in London’s Nine Elms to cheeky signs planted outside Trump’s golf course in Aberdeen, demonstrators are finding creative — and confrontational — ways to express their fury. The image leading the charge? A photo of Trump with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, plastered on public bus stops just steps from the American embassy.
Not your average welcome mat
President Trump’s UK itinerary is split across two high-profile moments: a private working visit to Scotland from July 25 to 29, and an official state visit hosted by King Charles III in September. Both are triggering outrage.
But the protests aren’t waiting for Air Force One to touch down.
A London-based political art collective called “Everyone Hates Elon” is taking early aim. Their move? Installing a large poster featuring Trump beside Epstein at a London bus shelter near the U.S. embassy. The message is clear, biting, and designed to sting.
One line from their post on X (formerly Twitter) said it all:
“It would be such a shame if this photo of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein appeared absolutely everywhere on his tour of the U.K.”
Epstein ties resurface in legal and public arenas
Trump has long tried to distance himself from Epstein, but recent developments have dragged the association back into public view. And protesters are making sure it sticks.
The Wall Street Journal published fresh allegations on July 17 claiming that Trump once sent Epstein a bawdy birthday note back in 2003 — a cartoon of a naked woman, alongside the words: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump, through legal counsel, denied penning the note and is reportedly suing the Journal. But the damage, for some, is already done.
Adding more fuel, the Trump administration recently filed a request to unseal grand jury records tied to Epstein’s 2019 indictment. Whether those records emerge any time soon is unclear — the courts move slowly — but the timing has only fanned the flames.
“Twinned with Epstein Island”: A protest planted in plain sight
In Aberdeen, protestors went literal.
Another video posted by Everyone Hates Elon showed a sign mounted beneath the “Trump International Golf Links” sign reading simply:
“Twinned with Epstein Island.”
It’s a blunt nod to Little Saint James Island, the private territory in the U.S. Virgin Islands Epstein used as a personal retreat — and allegedly, a hub for his crimes.
Trump has repeatedly denied ever visiting the island. “That was not a good place, as I understand it, and I was never there,” he told reporters in 2019. But the imagery and speculation have proven hard to shake.
One-liner: this protest isn’t subtle — and it’s not supposed to be.
Protests planned across Scotland and beyond
It’s not just posters and signs. Full-scale protests are brewing for Trump’s Scottish stopover.
The Stop Trump Coalition says it will host rallies in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh on Saturday, July 26. Organizers are also preparing a message that Trump — quite literally — can’t miss: a giant banner along the coastline to greet him from the sky as his helicopter arrives.
Tommy Campbell, one of the protest coordinators, told HuffPost:
“We’ll make sure from the air that he will see our presence.”
The Aberdeen protest has been described as a “festival of resistance.”
And the messaging has been sharp:
“Even if Keir Starmer bends the knee to Trump, John Swinney should stand with the people of Scotland and say ‘no’ to a humiliating photo opportunity,” said one statement from the coalition.
A short note here — Police Scotland are bracing.
According to the Scottish Police Federation, this is shaping up to be a massive security operation. With limited prep time, officers are being pulled in from across the country, even during the peak of annual leave season.
State visit in September: déjà vu or worse?
September’s second state visit is likely to be even bigger — and louder.
While Windsor Castle will serve as Trump’s residence due to renovations at Buckingham Palace, that hasn’t stopped protest organizers from planning a massive anti-Trump march through London on September 17.
The Stop Trump Coalition, which coordinated large protests in 2019, is back in action. That year, up to 250,000 people took to the streets, carrying signs, placards, and of course, the now-famous “Baby Trump” balloon. The balloon — depicting Trump in a diaper — now lives in the Museum of London.
This year, they say the crowd could be even bigger.
Zoe Gardner, a spokesperson for the group, said:
“We are confident that the disgust at Donald Trump is just as strong across the country.”
Students walking out across the country
It’s not just adults — students are also taking a stand.
A nationwide Youth Walkout Against Trump is being coordinated by Socialist Students, a UK-based organization. Colleges and universities are already seeing signups from students planning to walk out of class in protest.
Adam Gillman, the group’s national organizer, explained their stance:
“We can send a powerful message to young people and workers in America that we stand with them against Trump—not with Starmer.”
Lauren, a student from Wrexham, put it in plainer terms:
“These walkouts are a chance to stand up to Trump, as well as our government who welcome him with open arms.”
This student-led effort adds another dimension — younger voices, sharper outrage, and a coordinated plan.
What’s next? All eyes on Aberdeen
For now, the spotlight turns north.
Trump’s schedule for his Scotland trip includes visits to his golf properties in Turnberry and Aberdeen. He’s also expected to meet privately with both Prime Minister Starmer and First Minister John Swinney.
Meanwhile, protest organizers, artists, and students are moving fast.
With placards, posters, and public art already in place — and more on the way — the UK’s opposition to Trump’s visit is far from quiet. And with state-level coordination already stretching Police Scotland’s resources, the next few days may prove tense.
No Baby Trump balloon has been spotted yet this time. But give it time.
