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The UK government is being called upon to "step up" and reimburse the £24.5 million cost incurred during recent visits by former President Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Scottish minister.

Substantial Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional costs amounting to almost £24.5m for the pair of official trips have been made public by the Scottish government.

Ivan McKee described the UK government's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both visits were clearly work-related, noting that the US president held meetings with EU Commission president the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Keir Starmer during his summer stay in the northern nation.

Details of the Visits and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump visited his golf courses at Turnberry and Menie over a five-day period in the summer, while US vice-president JD Vance spent around four days in Ayrshire in late summer.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the trips placed "significant strains and costs on public services in Scotland, particularly the Scottish police force."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the provisional cost for policing the presidential visit alone was £21m, which involved peak daily deployments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Large-Scale Security Mission

This complex security mission was the largest in Scotland since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and included local officers, national divisions, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "Following your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for costs accrued in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the following trip of Vice-President Vance, I am writing you to ask that you review this stance and offer complete repayment for the expense of the trips."

UK Government Response and Previous Example

The British administration maintained that the trips were private and "not part of official government duties." A representative added: "The Scottish government are responsible for policing costs in the country as per agreed devolved funding arrangements."

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the British administration reimbursed the expense of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is understood that trip followed a formal invitation from Westminster, in which case it included protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a work visit … Particularly when you have the PM Keir Starmer spending time with Donald Trump, holding joint briefings with him, engaging in international business with him, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a personal vacation."