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The British administration is being urged to "step up" and cover the £24.5 million expense incurred during recent trips by former President Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Scottish minister.

Significant Estimated Expenses Revealed

Preliminary costs amounting to nearly £24.5 million for the pair of working visits have been published by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "absurd," stating that both trips were obviously official, noting that the US president held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer during his summer stay in the northern nation.

Details of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

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

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison stated that the visits placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for policing the president's trip alone was £21 million, which reflected maximum daily assignments of more than 4,000 officers, while expenses for the VP's visit were about £3m.

Large-Scale Policing Operation

This complex policing operation was the largest in Scotland since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and included local officers, specialist units, special constables and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

Robison wrote: "Following your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for costs incurred in relation to the visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP JD Vance, I am contacting you to ask that you review this stance and provide full reimbursement for the cost of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

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

While Robison pointed to past instances where the UK government reimbursed the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to the nation, it is understood that trip followed a official UK government invitation, in which case 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 clearly a work visit … Particularly when you have the prime minister Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, engaging in international business with them, its really hard to believe to say this was just a personal vacation."