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

Significant Provisional Costs Revealed

Preliminary expenses amounting to almost £24.5 million for the pair of working visits have been made public by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "absurd," arguing that both visits were obviously official, pointing out that the US president held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his summer visit in the northern nation.

Details of the Visits and Related Security Expenses

Donald Trump toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a five-day trip in July, while US vice-president Vance spent around four days 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 operational and financial burdens 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 £21 million, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Large-Scale Security Mission

This extensive security mission was the largest in Scotland since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and included regional police, national divisions, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary stated: "Following your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for costs incurred in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP Vance, I am contacting you to request that you reconsider this stance and offer full reimbursement for the expense of the trips."

Westminster Response and Past Precedent

The UK government stated that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson commented: "The Scottish government must cover security expenses in the country as per agreed devolved funding arrangements."

While Robison pointed to past instances where the British administration covered the expense of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is understood that trip came after a formal UK government invitation, in which instance it covered protection expenses under its statement of funding policy.

"The UK government needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a official trip … Particularly when you have the prime minister Sir Keir meeting with the president, having press conferences with him, conducting international business with them, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."