Donald Trump’s team have declined to comment on the possibility of a meeting with Scottish Muslim groups.
Mosques in Edinburgh have invited the US Presidential hopeful to meet them in a bid to get him to “learn more about the Muslims that he offends almost every time he opens his mouth”.
The Republican nominee, who has been widely criticised for remarks he has made about the Islamic faith, is due to visit Scotland later this month.
The controversial tycoon is scheduled to relaunch his Turnberry golf course and hotel in South Ayrshire after it underwent a £200 million revamp.
But he has come under increasing pressure in recent days to accept the invitation from a number of mosques.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said people “will think he is a coward who is afraid of coming face to face with people he has trashed”, if he declines to attend.
His spokeswoman in New York declined to comment when asked by The Courier if Mr Trump would meet the groups.
More than 1000 people have signed a petition urging the presidential hopeful to accept the invitation.
North East Fife MSP Mr Rennie said: “Bullies often talk big but act small and no one talks bigger than Donald Trump.
“Unless he accepts this invitation people will think he is a coward who is afraid of coming face to face with people he has trashed in the press for months.”
The Annandale Mosque, the Roxburgh Street Mosque and Cultural Centre, the Blackhall Mosque and the Turkish Mosque and Cultural Centre have all extended invitations to meet with Mr Trump.
Hafiz Ghafoor, of Annandale Mosque, and Munawar Hussain, secretary of Roxburgh Street Mosque and Islamic Centre said in a statement: “Before he makes another inflammatory speech, Mr Trump should learn more about the Muslims that he offends almost every time he opens his mouth.
“We would welcome the opportunity to show him the work that we are doing in the community in Edinburgh when he comes to Scotland later this month.”
The public petition will be delivered to Mr Trump’s organisation in Scotland, while the organisers also said they would fly a plane over his golf course during the visit to ensure that he gets the invitations.
