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The UK government is being called upon to "take responsibility" and cover the £24.5m cost incurred during the recent visits by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Holyrood official.

Significant Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary costs amounting to nearly £24.5 million for the pair of official trips have been published by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's refusal to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both trips were clearly official, pointing out that the US president held meetings with European Union chief the EU's von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his summer stay in the northern nation.

Details of the Trips and Associated Policing Costs

The former president toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie over a five-day trip in July, while US vice-president JD Vance spent around four days in Ayrshire in August.

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

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the provisional cost for policing the president's trip by itself was £21m, which involved peak daily deployments of over four thousand police, while costs for the VP's visit were about £3 million.

Complex Security Mission

This extensive policing operation was the largest in Scotland since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and included regional police, national divisions, special constables and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary wrote: "Following your decision not to offer financial support to the Scottish government for costs incurred in relation to the trip of President Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the following trip of Vice-President Vance, I am contacting you to request that you review this decision and provide full reimbursement for the cost of the trips."

UK Government Response and Previous Example

The British administration stated that the trips were personal and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson added: "Holyrood are responsible for policing costs in the country as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While Robison referenced past instances where the UK government reimbursed the cost of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is understood that visit came after a official UK government invitation, in which instance it covered protection expenses under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster needs to step up and pay. I think it’s ridiculous, it was clearly a work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir spending time with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, engaging in global diplomacy with him, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."