Trump's 'insanity' can harm entire planet says former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond

Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland and passionate advocate for Scottish independence, threw gasoline onto his ongoing feud with U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump Tuesday saying he was very worried at the prospect of the billionaire getting anywhere America's nuclear codes. 

"I think that Donald Trump is the very last person who should have his finger near a nuclear button," Salmond told CBC News Network's Power & Politics host Rosemary Barton in a wide ranging interview.

Salmond is in Canada to promote his new book, The Dream Shall Never Die, an inside look at Scotland's 2014 independence referendum. 

During that referendum campaign Salmond said a NO vote would settle the issue of Scottish independence for a generation. Now that the United Kingdom could leave the European Union if citizens of the that country vote to exit the EU in its own referendum June 23, Salmond says the Scottish debate could be legitimately reopened. 

"If we had a circumstance where Scotland voted yes to Europe, England voted no but because England is larger, Scotland was threatened with being dragged out of Europe; now that would be the change in circumstance, which in my view, would justify another Scottish referendum," Salmond said. 

Watch an extended portion of the interview below.

Scotland's bid for independence

9 years ago

Duration 8:48

Former first minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP Alex Salmond discusses his push for Scottish independence and the possibility of another referendum.