John Swinney should use his meeting with Donald Trump to ensure Scotland gets a better trade deal with the US, Scottish Labour's deputy leader has said.
Dame Jackie Baillie said the First Minister must do more than simply talk up the country when he meets the US President this month.
Dame Jackie said Scotland should welcome Mr Trump but added that she supported people's rights to protest against his presence in the UK.
The US President is set to make a private visit to Scotland later this month, where he is expected to open a new golf course in Aberdeenshire and stay at his resort in Turnberry.
Dame Jackie Baillie said she was sure John Swinney would 'sing the praises of Scotland´ during his meeting with President Trump (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mr Swinney are both set to meet with the US President.
Speaking during a visit to Robin House, a children's hospice in Balloch, Dame Jackie urged MrSwinn ey to focus his meeting with the President on the economy.
She told the PA news agency: "I would expect the First Minister to meet with the elected US President.
"At the end of the day, John Swinney, who I think is a very cautious politician, will undoubtedly sing the praises of Scotland.
"I want him not just to sing the praises of Scotland but actually to secure for very important sectors of our economy better trade deals in partnership with the United Kingdom, so that whisky, salmon, all these things that we know export well to the US are given a lift up."
John Swinney, who endorsed Trump´s rival Kamal Harris at the US Election last year, will meet with the President this month (Jane Barlow/PA)
Mr Trump, who often speaks fondly of Scotland, saw large scale protests in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen during his last presidential visit in 2018.
Asked if she supported fresh protests expected against Mr Trump, Dame Jackie said: "We live in a democracy.
"It is right that people have the right to protest but, at the end of the day, I think this is a personal visit he's making.
"There will be a state visit coming in the future, but we should welcome a US President whose mother, I think, came from the Western Isles."
The Scottish Greens, who support any planned protests against the Republican politician, have urged the First Minister not to meet with Mr Trump.
Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie urged the First Minister not to meet with President Trump, whom he pointed out is a convicted felon (Jane Barlow/PA)
Co-leader Patrick Harvie said: "Donald Trump is a convicted criminal and political extremist; there can be no excuses for trying to cosy up to his increasingly fascist political agenda.
"We've all watched in recent months as the US President has sent troops to threaten their own citizens on the streets of Los Angeles; kidnapped innocent people under the guise of mass deportations; and now they are constructing a concentration camp in Florida.
"This is a man who has a complete lack of respect for human rights and democracy in America; whose climate denial threatens everyone around the world.
"The SNPs decision to meet with this convicted felon is a tragic one; and is out of step with Scotland's values.
"Appeasing political extremists like Trump won't save us from his misinformation and toxic rhetoric."
Mr Harvie added: "If the Scottish Government won't make it clear to Trump, then I'm sure the people of Scotland on the streets protesting his every move will make it loud and clear.
"Donald Trump is not welcome here."
Speaking to the BBC this week, Mr Trump said he would meet with Sir Keir Starmer in Aberdeen, which he described as "the oil capital of Europe".
He told the broadcaster: "They have so much oil there.
"They should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil.
"Cause the windmills are really detrimental to the beauty of Scotland and every other place they go up."