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

Significant Estimated Expenses Disclosed

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

Ivan McKee described the Westminster's refusal to provide funding as "absurd," arguing that both trips were obviously official, pointing out that the American leader held meetings with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie over a week-long period in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in late summer.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary James Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the trips placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, especially the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for securing the president's trip by itself was £21 million, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the VP's visit were approximately £3 million.

Complex Security Mission

This complex security mission was the biggest in Scotland since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and included local officers, specialist units, volunteer officers and wider UK colleagues for specialist support.

The Finance Secretary stated: "After your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses accrued in connection with the trip of President Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP JD Vance, I am contacting you to ask that you reconsider this decision and provide complete repayment for the cost of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

The British administration maintained that the visits were private and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson commented: "The Scottish government must cover security expenses in the country as per agreed devolved funding arrangements."

While Robison referenced previous precedent where the UK government covered the cost of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is understood that visit came after a official invitation from Westminster, in which instance it included security costs under its statement of funding policy.

"The UK government needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a official trip … Especially when you have the PM Keir Starmer meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, engaging in global diplomacy with them, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was merely a personal vacation."