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The British administration is being called upon to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5 million expense incurred during recent trips by Donald Trump and JD Vance to Scotland, according to a top Scottish minister.

Substantial Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary costs totalling almost £24.5 million for the two official trips have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the UK government's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both trips were clearly official, noting that the American leader held meetings with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Associated Policing Costs

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

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary James Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the visits placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on Scottish public services, especially the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the provisional cost for policing the president's trip by itself was £21m, which reflected peak daily deployments of over four thousand police, while expenses for the VP's visit were about £3m.

Complex Policing Operation

This extensive security mission 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.

The Finance Secretary stated: "Following your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses accrued in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP JD Vance, I am writing you to ask that you review this stance and provide complete repayment for the cost of the trips."

Westminster Response and Previous Example

The UK government stated that the trips were personal and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson commented: "Holyrood are responsible for policing costs in Scotland as per established devolved funding arrangements."

While the Finance Secretary pointed to past instances where the UK government covered the cost of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is believed that visit came after a official UK government invitation, in which case it covered protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was clearly a official trip … Especially when you have the prime minister Keir Starmer spending time with the president, having press conferences with them, engaging in international business with them, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a private holiday trip."