Donald Trump’s Scottish Roots: From Vatisker to the White House
Originally published 25 July 2025
As Donald Trump touches down, it feels timely to reflect on his links to Scotland. Most are aware that Trump’s mother, Mary Ann MacLeod, hailed from the village of Tong near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. But while researching for the Vatisker Diaries book, I discovered a deeper family link that stretches beyond Tong and into the nearby village of Vatisker.
Mary Ann’s grandfather, Alexander MacLeod, was born around 1830 in Vatisker, part of the Back District of Lewis. He was the son of William and Christina MacLeod, residing at number 25 Vatisker. Alexander married Ann MacLeod of Tong in December 1853, and the couple settled at 25 Aird Tong. Their son, Malcolm MacLeod, wed Mary Smith, and they raised ten children at 5 Tong—the youngest being Mary Ann, born in 1912.
Trump’s great-grandfather Donald Smith tragically drowned in a fishing accident off Vatisker Point, near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, in 1868. A sudden squall overturned his open boat, claiming his life at just 34 years old. Two other men also perished, while two survived the ordeal.
His widow, Mary Smith, was left to raise their children alone, including Mary Smith, Trump’s grandmother. It’s believed that Donald Trump may have been named in memory of his great grandfather.
Like so many of her contemporaries at 18, Trump’s mother, Mary Ann left Lewis for the United States in 1930. She met Fred Trump, and they married in New York in 1936. She became a U.S. citizen six years later. In 2008, Donald Trump made a brief visit to the family home in Tong—a gesture so fleeting that it left many wondering whether it was a heartfelt homage or a calculated photo opportunity.
Today, Trump’s most visible Scottish footprint is his golfing empire. His Trump International Golf Links opened in Aberdeenshire in 2012, sparking controversy over its environmental impact. During its planning battle, Trump reflected: “If it weren’t for my mother, would I have walked away from this site? I think probably I would have, yes.” His Scottish holdings expanded further with the acquisition of Turnberry in Ayrshire in 2014.
Whether Trump’s ties to Lewis and Scotland are a guiding compass or simply a footnote in a larger-than-life story, his ancestral roots remain firmly planted in Hebridean soil. The journey from 25 Vatisker to the corridors of power reminds us that history often travels quietly through generations before taking centre stage. And as the waves brush the shores of Gress Beach, the legacy of the MacLeod family continues to ripple outward—etched into both local memory and global headlines.