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

Substantial Estimated Expenses Revealed

Preliminary costs totalling nearly £24.5m for the two working visits have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the UK government's unwillingness to provide funding as "ridiculous," arguing that both trips were obviously official, pointing out that the American leader held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July stay in the northern nation.

Details of the Trips and Associated Policing Costs

The former president visited his golfing resorts at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a week-long trip in the summer, while US vice-president JD Vance spent approximately a long weekend in Ayrshire in late summer.

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

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for policing the presidential visit by itself was £21m, which reflected maximum daily assignments of more than 4,000 officers, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were approximately £3m.

Complex Security Mission

This complex policing operation was the biggest in the country since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and involved regional police, specialist units, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "Following your choice not to provide funding to Scotland for costs accrued in connection with the trip of President Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the following visit of VP Vance, I am contacting you to request that you reconsider this stance and provide full reimbursement for the cost of the trips."

UK Government Response and Past Precedent

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

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the UK government covered the cost of Trump’s 2018 visit to the nation, it is believed that trip came after a formal UK government invitation, in which instance it included security costs under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was clearly a work visit … Especially when you have the PM Keir Starmer meeting with the president, having press conferences with them, engaging in international business with them, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a personal vacation."