Donald Trump praises Scotland for voting to leave the EU, but it didn't

Donald Trump praised the Scottish this morning for "[taking] their country back" in the UK's vote to leave the European Union. This is despite the fact that Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, with 62 percent of the population backing the Remain campaign. However, this wasn't enough to change the total outcome of the UK vote, which backed the decision to leave 52 percent to 48 percent.

Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back. No games!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2016

"Basically, they took back their country"

Trump is visiting Scotland to mark the opening of his Turnberry golf resort, where he was greeted by staff wearing red "Make Turnberry Great Again" baseball hats. According to Variety, he told reporters at the resort that Brexit was a "great thing," and added: "Basically, they took back their country." In a statement on Facebook, Trump said that the UK had "declared their independence from the European Union," and that come November, "the American people will have the chance to re-declare their independence" too.

Trump's praise for a Scottish Brexit might be misplaced, but it is at least an improvement on his previous position when he didn't seem to even recognize the term. When asked about his opinions on Brexit in an interview published this month, Trump stalled, responding only when the interviewer prompted: "The Brits leaving the EU." Trump had made his position on the vote clear prior to this (he sees Brexit as a vote against immigration — which was one of the Leave campaign's primary arguments), but it seems recognizing the term itself was a step too far.

• ViaVariety
• SourceDonald Trump (Twitter)