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The British administration is being called upon to "step up" and reimburse the £24.5m expense incurred during recent visits by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a senior Holyrood official.

Significant Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Provisional costs totalling almost £24.5m for the pair of working visits have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the UK government's refusal to provide funding as "ridiculous," stating that both trips were clearly work-related, pointing out that the US president held discussions with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July stay in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Visits and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump visited his golf courses at Turnberry and Menie over a five-day period in July, while US vice-president JD Vance spent approximately a long weekend in the Ayrshire region in late summer.

In a formal letter to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the visits placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, especially Police Scotland."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for policing the presidential visit alone was £21m, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were about £3 million.

Large-Scale Policing Operation

This complex policing operation was the biggest in Scotland since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and included local officers, specialist units, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "Following your decision not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses accrued in connection with the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the subsequent visit of VP Vance, I am writing you to request that you reconsider this stance and offer complete repayment for the cost of the trips."

UK Government Response and Past Precedent

The British administration stated that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A representative added: "Holyrood must cover policing costs in Scotland as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While Robison referenced past instances where the British administration covered the expense of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is understood that trip came after a formal invitation from Westminster, in which case 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 obviously a official trip … Particularly when you have the PM Sir Keir spending time with the president, having press conferences with them, engaging in international business with him, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a personal vacation."