First Minister and Eric Trump meeting notes: FOI release

Information requested

Any correspondence with the Trump organisation between March 1 2025 and the current date.

Any notes or briefings prepared for the FM ahead of his meeting with Eric Trump on 13 March 2025.

Any minutes or note of the meeting between the FM and Eric Trump on 14 March 2025.

Response

Any correspondence with the Trump organisation between March 1 2025 and the current date

While our aim is to provide information wherever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you requested.

Mr Trump’s office requested a meeting with the First Minister some time ago, which was arranged for when Mr Trump was visiting Scotland. The Scottish Government does not hold the correspondence relating to the set-up of this meeting.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Any notes or briefings prepared for the FM ahead of his meeting with Eric Trump on 13 March 2025

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. You can find this attached at Annex A.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b), personal information, of FOISA applies to some of the information you requested because it is personal data of a third party (i.e. names / contact details of individuals), and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

An exemption under section 30(b)(i), free and frank provision of advice, of FOISA applies to some of the information that you requested. The reason section 30(b) applies to the information requested is because disclosure of information would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemptions. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption.

We recognise that there is some public interest in disclosing information on UK relations as part of open government and transparency. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in protecting free and frank exchange of advice that enables Ministers and officials to conduct business and come to decisions, releasing advice provided would disrupt this process.

Any minutes or note of the meeting between the FM and Eric Trump on 14 March 2025

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. You can find this attached at Annex A.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b), personal information, of FOISA applies to some of the information you requested because it is personal data of a third party (i.e. names / contact details of individuals), and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500463947 - Information released - Annex A

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