Trump forced to deny involvement in military stays at his golf course after Air Force launches investigation: 'NOTHING TO DO WITH ME'

Donald Trump denied knowing anything about a controversy involving several crew members from the US Air Force staying at the president’s luxury golf resort in Scotland after the military branch announced an investigation into the incident.

The president said that while he was unaware of the officials staying at the resort “and filling up with fuel” at a nearby airport, he complimented the crew members for having “good taste” before writing: “NOTHING TO DO WITH ME”.

“I know nothing about an Air Force plane landing at an airport (which I do not own and have nothing to do with) near Turnberry Resort (which I do own) in Scotland,” Mr Trump wrote.

Stopovers in Scotland are not unusual for the Air Force, Brigade General Edward Thomas said in a statement to the Associated Press. But crew members typically stay at hotels located close to the airport, not Mr Trump’s Turnberry resort located nearly 50 miles outside of Glasgow.

The Democratic-led House Oversight Committee has also announced its own investigation into the military stays at Mr Trump’s properties, amid concerns the president was profiting by hosting military crew members, Secret Service teams and world leaders at his properties.

Mr Trump has not divested from his private businesses, as is tradition for US presidents.

The president also addressed another similar controversy involving Mike Pence, who recently stayed at his resort in Doonbeg, Ireland. The hotel was located hundreds of miles away from the vice president’s state meetings.

“I had nothing to do with the decision of our great @VP Mike Pence to stay overnight at one of the Trump owned resorts in Doonbeg, Ireland,” the president continued on Twitter. “Mike’s family has lived in Doonbeg for many years, and he thought that during his very busy European visit, he would stop and see his family!”

Those comments echoed the vice president’s previous claims that he was merely visiting family in the region when he stayed at the Trump property.

However, the vice president’s chief of staff previously told reporters Mr Trump made a “suggestion” for him to stay at the resort, and that it was a “logical” choice.

House Democrats have also announced plans to investigate the vice president’s stay last the property.

In a statement announcing its investigation into the crew members staying at the Trump resort, the Air Force said “leadership directed Air Mobility Command to review all guidance pertaining to selection of airports and lodging accommodations during international travels.”

Initial reviews indicate that air are transiting through Scotland adhered to all guidance and procedures,” the statement said. Still, the Air Force said that “lodging at higher-end accommodations” like the Trump resort may not be “advisable”.

“Even when [US Air Force] aircrews follow all directives and guidance, we must still be considerate of perceptions of not being good stewards of taxpayer funds that might be created through the appearance of aircrew staying at such locations,” the statement said.