Lewis linked tycoon could be next US President

Mr Trump, who has family in Tong, has made a formal move to become a presidential candidate for the Republican party.

Having visited the Isle of Lewis in 2008 along with his sister, Mr Trump has maintained his interest in his mother’s roots and has developed his empire with a golf estate on the east coast of Scotland.

In a statement prepared for the Stornoway Gazette he said: “I am very seriously considering running for the Presidency.

“I care very much about the U.S. and I have watched it being damaged by an incompetent administration. I would like to make America great again, and I know I can effectively change things for the better.”

He added: “My parents were patriots who believed in America and so do I. As the people in Scotland know, I don’t give up.

“Likewise, I will not give up on America. I know it’s possible to recapture that greatness, and I am willing and able to make that happen.”

Donald Trump has toyed with the idea of running as a presidential candidate on several occasions but his current actions to set up an Exploratory Committee and hire staff is a step further than on previous occasions.