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

Significant Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional expenses totalling nearly £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 trips were clearly work-related, pointing out that the US president held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July visit in the northern nation.

Details of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

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

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

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the provisional cost for policing the presidential visit alone was £21 million, which reflected peak daily deployments of more than 4,000 officers, while costs for the VP's visit were approximately £3 million.

Complex Security Mission

This complex policing operation was the biggest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, special constables and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "After your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for costs incurred in connection with the trip of President Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the following visit of VP Vance, I am writing you to ask that you review this decision and offer complete repayment for the expense of the trips."

Westminster Response and Previous Example

The British administration stated that the trips were private and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson added: "Holyrood are responsible for security expenses in Scotland as per agreed funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary pointed to past instances where the UK government covered the cost of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is believed that trip came after a official UK government invitation, in which case it included security costs under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster must take action and pay. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a official trip … Particularly when you have the PM Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, engaging in global diplomacy with them, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."