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The UK government is being urged to "step up" and cover the £24.5 million expense incurred during recent visits by former President Trump and JD Vance to Scotland, according to a senior Holyrood official.

Substantial Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary costs totalling nearly £24.5 million for the pair of working visits have been published by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both visits were clearly official, pointing out that the US president held meetings with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British PM Keir Starmer during his July visit in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Visits and Associated Security Expenses

Donald Trump visited his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a week-long period in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent around four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a formal letter to the Treasury minister James Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the visits placed "significant operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, particularly the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for policing the presidential visit alone was £21 million, which involved maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the VP's visit were approximately £3 million.

Complex Security Mission

This complex policing operation was the largest in Scotland since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

Robison wrote: "After your choice not to provide funding to Scotland for costs accrued in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the subsequent visit of Vice-President JD Vance, I am writing you to request that you review this stance and provide full reimbursement for the expense of the visits."

UK Government Response and Previous Example

The British administration stated that the trips were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson added: "Holyrood must cover policing costs in Scotland as per agreed funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary pointed to previous precedent where the UK government covered the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to the nation, it is understood that trip followed a official invitation from Westminster, 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 work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir spending time with Donald Trump, having press conferences with them, conducting international business with him, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a personal vacation."