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The UK government is being called upon to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5 million expense incurred during recent trips by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a senior Holyrood official.

Substantial Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary expenses amounting to almost £24.5 million for the two official trips have been published by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee labeled the Westminster's unwillingness to provide funding as "absurd," stating that both visits were obviously work-related, 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 Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

The former president toured his golf courses at Turnberry and Menie over a week-long period in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent around a long weekend in Ayrshire in late summer.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the visits placed "substantial strains and costs on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for securing the presidential visit alone was £21 million, which involved peak daily deployments of more than four thousand police, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Large-Scale Policing Operation

This complex policing operation was the largest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, volunteer officers and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary stated: "After your choice not to offer financial support to the Scottish government for expenses incurred in connection with the visit of President Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the subsequent visit of Vice-President Vance, I am writing you to ask that you reconsider this decision and provide complete repayment for the cost of the trips."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

The British administration stated that the trips were personal and "not official UK government business." A spokesperson added: "The Scottish government must cover policing costs in Scotland as per established devolved funding arrangements."

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the UK government reimbursed the cost of Trump’s 2018 visit to the nation, it is believed that trip came after a formal invitation from Westminster, in which instance it included protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster needs to step up and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was obviously a official trip … Especially when you have the PM Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with them, engaging in international business with him, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a personal vacation."