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The UK government is being called upon to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5m expense incurred during the recent trips by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Holyrood official.

Substantial Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional costs totalling nearly £24.5 million for the two working visits have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the UK government's unwillingness to provide funding as "absurd," arguing that both trips were obviously work-related, pointing out that the American leader held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his July visit in Scotland.

Particulars of the Visits and Associated Policing Costs

Donald Trump visited his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a five-day trip in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent approximately four days in the Ayrshire region in late summer.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary James Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison stated that the visits placed "significant operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, particularly Police Scotland."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for policing the president's trip alone was £21 million, which involved maximum daily assignments of over four thousand police, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were approximately £3 million.

Complex Policing Operation

This extensive policing operation was the biggest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and included local officers, specialist units, special constables and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "After your decision not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses accrued in connection with the trip of Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the following visit of Vice-President JD Vance, I am writing you to ask that you reconsider this decision and provide complete repayment for the expense of the visits."

Westminster Reply and Previous Example

The British administration maintained that the trips were private and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson commented: "Holyrood must cover policing costs in the country as per agreed funding agreements for devolved matters."

While Robison referenced past instances where the UK government reimbursed the expense of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is believed that visit followed a official invitation from Westminster, in which case it covered protection expenses under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster must take action and pay. I think it’s unreasonable, it was obviously a work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, conducting global diplomacy with him, its really hard to believe to say this was just a personal vacation."