In a lawsuit filed this week, Trump accused the city of fraud and civil rights violations, contending that the city was refusing to allow improvements needed to maintain the "Trump image," including a clubhouse terrace and a row of ficus trees he was forced to cut down earlier.

"I've been looking forward for a long time to do this," Trump said of the lawsuit Friday in a phone interview from New York. "The town does everything possible to stymie everything I do."

But city leaders and some residents said the lawsuit was just another attempt by the real estate mogul to bully the community and avoid playing by the rules. They call it the culmination of his history of run-ins with officials from the upscale, picturesque city of nearly 46,000 set amid the coves and beaches of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

The city's mayor, Larry Clark, dismissed the charges and said the lawsuit may cause residents' already simmering ill will toward the developer to explode.

The US billionaire wanted to build a golf complex and housing development at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.

Senior councillor Martin Ford, who used his casting vote to turn down the plan, told BBC Scotland he was "quite certain" the right decision was made.

Mr Trump has the right to appeal against the decision.

He could also bring new plans forward.

The controversial project had been given outline planning approval, but fell when it came before Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee.