Facing potential U.K. ban, Trump threatens pulling golf investments
In the days after leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for a temporary halt to Muslims being allowed in the U.S., offended United Kingdom residents started an online petition calling for Trump himself to be banned from their combined countries. That petition earned enough signatures — more than 570,000, in fact — to compel a vote of parliament on the matter.
Now, on the eve of that vote, Trump, who owns Trump International Golf Links and Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland, is threatening to pull what he claims is a planned $1 billion in investments at those properties if he is banned.
In a statement, The Trump Organization said banning Trump would “immediately end these and all future investments we are currently contemplating in the United Kingdom,” including an in-progress $300 million to upgrade four-time British Open host Turnberry and another $700 million for the modern links, which Trump has hoped would soon host the Scottish Open.
“Westminster would create a dangerous precedent and send a terrible message to the world that the United Kingdom opposes free speech and has no interest in attracting inward investment,” the statement continued. “This would also alienate the many millions of United States citizens who wholeheartedly support Mr. Trump and have made him the forerunner by far in the 2016 presidential election. Many people now agree with Mr. Trump that there is a serious problem that must be resolved. This can only be achieved if we are willing to discuss these tough issues openly and honestly.”
The combined 650-member Parliament — the House of Lords and House of Commons — is to vote on the measure on Jan. 18. However, the vote is mostly symbolic. British Home Secretary Theresa May will ultimately make the decision to potentially ban Trump from the U.K., something considered highly unlikely.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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