THE pound suffered from comments made by President Trump ("Trade deal comments put pressure on pound", The Herald, July 14) since a soft Brexit would impede or even prevent us from entering into our own trade deals.

This weekend the President of the United States of America flew from London to spend some of his limited free time in South Ayrshire. The drive from Prestwick Airport would have taken him past some of our most impoverished citizens, recognised by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, where many of the children are brought up in homes struggling to find work alongside the related problems brought on by poverty – drug abuse, mental health issues and familial breakdown.

The President of America likes Scotland, the President of America has roots in Scotland and the President of America has personally invested in Scotland. It is right and just for individuals who disagree or are frankly outraged by the man to protest him but our political class were short sighted to persistently jeer him. He has thick skin but the constant insults will have made him less likely to go out of his way to facilitate a trade deal.

The GDP of the European Union, excluding the UK, is $14.7 trillion. The GDP of the United States is $19.4 trillion and is growing faster.

As he drove to Turnberry there would have been one group of people who were not protesting his visit as they could not afford to. These were the people living in poverty, unemployed, dependent on food banks but still trying to do the best for their children. A measured and fair trade deal with America would help them the most.

Tom Walker,

39 Fountain Place, Loanhead.

WHILE accepting that there have been many protests in the United States about some of the policies of President Trump and his administration, one wonders what citizens of that country, particularly the 62 million or so of them who voted for him in the last presidential election, have made of the protests in the streets of the UK against the visit of their President to these shores ("Hot reception for Trump, The Herald, July 14). What are they making of the fact that many British people by their actions, including the caricature of a baby Donald Trump with nappy flying over London, are insulting their head of state?

One also wonders why those out in the streets protesting were not out in the same numbers agitating about the visits of such as President Putin (2003), King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (2007) and Xi Jinping , President of China (2015). One could easily have taken exception to much of their activities at home and abroad before being welcomed here.

We are at a complicated and difficult stage on our country’s journey on the road through life, particularly with the Brexit negotiations, when we need all the help and cooperation we can muster. Antagonising many Americans through insulting their elected President seems to me a doubtful step to take at this particular time.

The Queen, as ever in these matters, sets us all an example on how to behave.

Ian W Thomson,

38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.

MARTIN Redfern (Letters, July 14) appears to be on the same page as Donald Trump, informing us that Nicola Sturgeon heads a "devolved domestic assembly of a non-sovereign nation" and asks "why would Mr Trump bother to meet her?" But that begs the question, why, as reported, does he spend so much time on the telephone to Theresa May "bitching" about the First Minister of Scotland, whom it is suggested he "hates"? The American President from Hell, Mr Trump proved himself to also be the dinner guest from Hell; savaging his hostess over Brexit and suggesting that her former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who had walked out on her because of her Brexit plans, would make a great Prime Minister.

Ms Sturgeon may not have met Mr Trump, but by leading Scotland's largest LGBTI event in Glasgow while he played golf at Turnberry, she certainly sent him a message.

Ruth Marr,

99 Grampian Road,

Stirling.

IT is pretty certain that for the most part the outrage of the SNP in particular at the visit of Donald Trump was genuine.

What sticks in the craw, however, is the selective nature of those the SNP decide to condemn. For example, President Trump’s words on migrants and other matters were not well chosen perhaps. Yet once again the selective nature of the SNP’s latest outrage is breath-taking.

For example, there was no SNP condemnation of another new President, Quim Torra, the nationalist holder of the office in Catalonia. Mr Torra’s past stated opinions of those with whom he disagrees about Catalonia’s future includes "carrion-feeders, vipers and hyenas’’ and "beasts in human form.’’ I doubt if even President Trump ever dared to go that far.

Yet there was no condemnation and no marches from the SNP with regard to the leader of their new nationalist friends.

Clearly, extreme nastiness from some presidents is more equal than others.

Alexander McKay,

8/7 New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh.

DONNIE MacKinnon (Letters, July 13) feels that Scotland's reputation for hospitality may be tarnished by the country's less-than-welcoming reception of President Trump. I would think it has already been tarnished to a far worse degree by the abuse many immigrants have received here, with 5,000 racial assaults in 2013/14 and of course continuing. This is what truly shames Scotland, not a peaceful and non-violent show of rejection towards a man whose treatment of immigrants, including and indeed especially children, in his country shows what value he puts on the concept of hospitality.

David Clinton Jr,

19 Hazel Park, Hamilton.

IT was an exciting week, what with football, tennis and a visit from Donald Trump.

The US President deserves our full attention, regardless of whether he believes Joan of Arc to have been Noah's wife (fake news?).

All this on top of "Brexit breakthrough" at Chequers, as the irresistable force met the immovable object and morphed into a "facilitated arrangement".

Even if the EU were to accept this fudge, one wonders whether it will ever occur to the populace that the status quo ante represents the only feasible arrangement.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn, confronted with an open goal, remains, as ever, unwilling to shoot (apart from himself – in the foot).

James Stevenson,

Drummond Avenue, Auchterarder.