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The British administration is being urged to "step up" and cover the £24.5 million expense incurred during the recent visits by Donald Trump and JD Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a top Holyrood official.

Significant Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional expenses amounting to nearly £24.5m for the two official trips have been published by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both visits were clearly official, noting that the US president held discussions with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

The former president visited his golfing resorts 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 Ayrshire in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the visits placed "substantial strains and costs on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

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

Complex Security Mission

This extensive policing operation was the largest in Scotland since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, specialist units, special constables and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "After your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses accrued in connection with the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in July 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP JD Vance, I am writing you to request that you review this decision and provide complete repayment for the expense of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Previous Example

The British administration maintained that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A representative commented: "The Scottish government are responsible for security expenses in the country as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While Robison referenced past instances where the UK government reimbursed the cost of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is understood that visit came after a formal invitation from Westminster, in which case it covered security costs under its funding guidelines.

"The UK government needs to step up and pay. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a work visit … Especially when you have the PM Keir Starmer meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, conducting global diplomacy with him, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a private holiday trip."