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The British administration is being called upon to "step up" and reimburse the £24.5 million cost incurred during the recent trips by former President Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a senior Scottish minister.

Significant Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary costs totalling almost £24.5m for the pair of official trips have been published by the Scottish government.

Ivan McKee described the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "absurd," arguing that both visits were obviously work-related, noting that the US president held discussions with EU Commission president the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his summer visit in the northern nation.

Details of the Trips and Associated Security Expenses

Donald Trump toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a week-long trip in July, while American VP Vance spent around a long weekend in the Ayrshire region in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the visits placed "significant strains and costs on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for securing the president's trip by itself was £21m, which involved peak daily deployments of over four thousand police, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Complex Security Mission

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

The Finance Secretary wrote: "After your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for expenses incurred in connection with the trip of President Donald Trump to the nation in July 2025 and the subsequent visit of VP Vance, I am writing you to request that you reconsider this stance and offer full reimbursement for the expense of the trips."

Westminster Response and Past Precedent

The UK government stated that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson commented: "The Scottish government are responsible for policing costs in Scotland as per established devolved funding arrangements."

While the Finance Secretary pointed to previous precedent where the UK government reimbursed the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is understood that trip followed a formal UK government invitation, in which instance it included protection expenses under its statement of funding policy.

"The UK government must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a work visit … Particularly when you have the prime minister Keir Starmer meeting with the president, holding joint briefings with them, engaging in global diplomacy with him, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."