President Donald Trump has paid his own tribute to the late James Bond star Sir Sean Connery, hailing him as a “great actor and an even greater man”.

The controversial US president, who is up for re-election this week, added that the Scot was “so highly regarded” it had helped him win planning approval for a controversial development.

In 2007 Mr Trump’s plans to build a luxury golf resort on the Menie Estate near Balmedie were thrown into disarray, when Aberdeenshire Council refused to grant him planning permission for the project.

The legendary actor, 007 Sean Connery, has past on to even greener fairways. He was quite a guy, and a tough character. 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”. That was....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2020

....all I needed, everything went swimmingly from there. 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. Sincere condolences to his family!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2020

The Scottish Government then “called in” the planning decision, and in November 2008 ministers approved the development, as they said it would have “significant economic and social benefit”.

In a tweet the president said the involvement of the 007 star had been key to him getting the green light.

Mr Trump said: “The legendary actor, 007 Sean Connery, has past (sic) on to even greener fairways.

“He was quite a guy, and a tough character.

“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’.

“That was all I needed, everything went swimmingly from there.”

Speaking about the actor, whose death at the age of 90 was announced on Saturday, Mr Trump said: “He was so highly regarded and respected in Scotland and beyond that years of future turmoil was avoided.

“Sean was a great actor and an even greater man.

“Sincere condolences to his family!”