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The British administration is being urged to "step up" and reimburse the £24.5 million cost incurred during the recent visits by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a top Scottish minister.

Substantial Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary costs amounting to almost £24.5 million for the two working visits have been made public by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the UK government's unwillingness to provide funding as "absurd," stating that both visits were clearly official, pointing out that the American leader held discussions with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his summer stay in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Trips and Associated Policing Costs

The former president visited his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a five-day trip in July, while American VP Vance spent around a long weekend in the Ayrshire region in late summer.

In a formal letter to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the trips placed "significant operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, particularly Police Scotland."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for securing the presidential visit alone was £21 million, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over four thousand police, while expenses for the VP's visit were approximately £3 million.

Complex Policing Operation

This extensive policing operation was the biggest in the country since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, special constables and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

Robison stated: "After your choice not to offer financial support to the Scottish government for costs accrued in relation to the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the subsequent visit of Vice-President Vance, I am contacting you to ask that you reconsider this decision and offer full reimbursement for the expense of the trips."

Westminster Reply and Previous Example

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

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the UK government covered the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is believed that visit followed a formal UK government invitation, in which case it included security costs under its funding guidelines.

"The UK government needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was obviously a work visit … Especially when you have the PM Sir Keir meeting with the president, holding joint briefings with him, conducting international business with him, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."