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The UK government is being called upon to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5 million cost incurred during the recent trips by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a senior Scottish minister.

Substantial Provisional Costs Revealed

Preliminary costs amounting to almost £24.5m for the two official trips have been made public by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "absurd," arguing that both visits were clearly work-related, pointing out that the American leader held discussions with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his summer stay in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a week-long period in July, while US vice-president Vance spent around four days in the Ayrshire region in August.

In a formal letter to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the trips placed "substantial strains and costs on Scottish public services, especially Police Scotland."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for securing the presidential visit by itself was £21m, which reflected peak daily deployments of more than 4,000 officers, while costs for the VP's visit were approximately £3 million.

Large-Scale Security Mission

This extensive security mission was the biggest in the country since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, special constables and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "Following your decision not to offer financial support to the Scottish government for expenses incurred in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the following trip of VP Vance, I am contacting you to ask that you review this stance and provide full reimbursement for the expense of the visits."

Westminster Reply and Previous Example

The UK government stated that the trips were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson commented: "The Scottish government must cover policing costs in the country as per established devolved funding arrangements."

While the Finance Secretary referenced previous precedent where the UK government covered the expense of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is believed that trip came after a formal invitation from Westminster, in which case it included security costs under its statement of funding policy.

"The UK government must take action and pay. I think it’s unreasonable, it was obviously a work visit … Particularly when you have the prime minister Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, engaging in international business with them, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a personal vacation."