US President Donald Trump has paid tribute to actor Sean Connery after news broke of his death on Saturday.

Mr Trump said the James Bond actor, who died “peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” at home in the Bahamas, helped him win planning approval for a ‘big development' in Scotland.

In a tweet on Sunday afternoon, he said Mr Connery said: "let him build the damn thing" when he was attempting to obtain planning permission.

His full tribute read: “The legendary actor, 007 Sean Connery, has past on to even greener fairways.

READ MORE: Sir Sean Connery: An advocate of independence who was an ambassador for Scotland on a global stage

"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.

"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!"

Tributes flooded in for the 90-year-old star on Saturday after his family broke the news to the BBC.

In his five-decade career, the Scottish actor won an Oscar, two Baftas and three Golden Globes, and continued to find huge success after leaving Bond.

Sir Sean’s wife, Micheline, told the Mail On Sunday the actor suffered from dementia.

READ MORE: Tributes flood in for Scots actor, Sir Sean Connery, as family confirm death at aged 90

She said: “At least he died in his sleep and it was just so peaceful. I was with him all the time and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted.

“He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss.”

Micheline, a 91-year-old Moroccan-French painter who married Sir Sean in 1975, added: “He was gorgeous and we had a wonderful life together. He was a model of a man. It is going to be very hard without him, I know that. But it could not last for ever and he went peacefully.”