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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 the Scottish nation, according to a senior Scottish minister.

Significant Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional expenses totalling almost £24.5m for the two working visits have been published by the administration in Edinburgh.

Ivan McKee described the UK government's refusal to offer financial support as "absurd," stating that both trips were obviously work-related, noting that the American leader held meetings with European Union chief the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Details of the Visits and Related Security Expenses

Donald Trump visited his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a week-long trip in July, while US vice-president JD Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister James Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the visits placed "significant strains and costs on public services in Scotland, especially Police Scotland."

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

Complex Security Mission

This complex security mission was the biggest in Scotland since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, specialist units, special constables and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

The Finance Secretary stated: "Following your decision not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses incurred in relation to the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in July 2025 and the following trip of Vice-President Vance, I am contacting you to ask that you reconsider this stance and provide full reimbursement for the cost of the trips."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

The UK government stated that the visits were personal and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson added: "Holyrood must cover security expenses in the country as per agreed funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary referenced previous precedent where the British administration covered the cost of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is believed that trip came after a official invitation from Westminster, in which case it covered protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster must take action and pay. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Keir Starmer meeting with Donald Trump, holding joint briefings with them, engaging in global diplomacy with them, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a private holiday trip."