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The UK government is being urged to "step up" and reimburse the £24.5 million expense incurred during the recent visits by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a top Holyrood official.

Significant Estimated Expenses Revealed

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

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's refusal to offer financial support as "absurd," stating that both visits were obviously official, pointing out that the US president held meetings with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Details of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a five-day trip in July, while American VP JD Vance spent around four days in the Ayrshire region in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the trips placed "substantial strains and costs on public services in Scotland, particularly the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the provisional cost for securing the presidential visit alone was £21m, which involved maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Large-Scale Policing Operation

This complex security mission was the biggest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved regional police, national divisions, special constables and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

Robison wrote: "After your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for costs accrued in connection with the trip of Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the subsequent visit of VP JD Vance, I am writing you to ask that you reconsider this stance and offer complete repayment for the cost of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

The UK government maintained that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A representative added: "Holyrood must cover policing costs in the country as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the UK government covered the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is believed that trip followed a official UK government invitation, in which instance it covered protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir spending time with Donald Trump, having press conferences with them, conducting global diplomacy with him, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a private holiday trip."