Donald Trump Gets Roasted for Making Sean Connery's Death About Him

Daniel S. Levine

11/01/2020 08:12 pm EST

President Donald Trump finally commented on the death of James Bond actor Sean Connery, but social media did not welcome his remarks with open arms. Trump's message not only included a grammatical error but also focused on Connery's role in getting Trump's plans to build a golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland approved. One member of the Aberdeenshire government at the time disputed Trump's story. Connery, who loved golf, died Friday night at 90.

In his Sunday tweets, Trump wrote that Connery "has past on to even greener fairways," incorrectly typing "past on" instead of "passed on." Trump called the actor "quite a guy, and a tough character." The president continued, "I was having a very hard time getting approvals for a big development in Scotland when Sean stepped in and shouted, 'Let him build the damn thing.'"

Trump said Connery's support was all he needed to get the project completed. "He was so highly regarded & respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided. Sean was a great actor and an even greater man," Trump wrote. "Sincere condolences to his family!"

Connery reportedly voiced support for Trump's plans to build a golf course, hotel, and housing complex in Aberdeenshire. "During tough economic times, this is a major vote of confidence in Scotland's tourist industry and our ability to rise to the challenge," Connery said in 2008, reports Express. "I look forward to seeing a new gem in the north-east that is good for Aberdeenshire and good for Scotland."

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The plans were originally rejected by the local government before the national government finally approved it. "It's exactly this kind of swift decision making and focus on boosting the economy and local job opportunities which shows that Scotland is an excellent place to do business," Connery said after the rejection was reversed.

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However, Martin Ford, the Aberdeenshire councilor who chaired the planning committee that first rejected Trump's proposal, told The Guardian that Connery had nothing to do with the reversal. Ford said it is not true that Connery personally showed up to any meeting on the plans. "Mr. Connery was not involved in the due process that led to the granting of planning permission for a golf resort at Menie," Ford said. "He did not submit a letter of representation to the council, appear at the planning hearing, or at the public local inquiry."

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David Milne, who lives near Trump's golf course, called the idea Connery helped him "utter bullocks." Milne told The Guardian that Connery never played at the golf course, despite Trump's invitations.

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"Scotland and much of the world is mourning the loss of a great spirit," former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond told The Guardian. "Sean Connery's contribution and life's work was immense, real and lasting and everyone with an ounce of class is reflecting upon just that today. Tributes are great from all sources but this is not a time for tweeting silly claims or indeed responding to them."

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Connery died at his home in the Bahamas with members of his family by his side. His widow, Micheline Roquebrune, told The Daily Mail Connery was suffering from dementia and died peacefully. "I was with him all the time and he just slipped away," she said. "It was what he wanted. He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss."

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Conney was best known as the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen, playing 007 for the first time in 1962's Dr. No. He began his career in the 1950s and retired from acting after 2003's The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. During his long career, he was only nominated for and won an Oscar once, for his supporting role in 1987's The Untouchables. In 1996, he received the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes.

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