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The British administration is being urged to "step up" and cover the £24.5m cost incurred during recent trips by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to the Scottish nation, according to a senior Scottish minister.

Significant Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Preliminary expenses amounting to nearly £24.5m for the two official trips have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's refusal to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both trips were clearly official, noting that the US president held meetings with EU Commission president the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his summer stay in Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Associated Security Expenses

Donald Trump toured his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a five-day period in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a formal letter to the Treasury’s chief secretary James Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the visits placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on Scottish public services, especially the Scottish police force."

The Edinburgh administration estimates that the estimated expense for policing the presidential visit by itself was £21 million, which involved maximum daily assignments of over 4,000 officers, while expenses for the vice-president’s trip were approximately £3m.

Complex Policing Operation

This complex policing operation was the biggest in the country since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and included local officers, national divisions, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

The Finance Secretary stated: "After your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for costs accrued in relation to the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in July 2025 and the subsequent trip of Vice-President Vance, I am writing you to request that you review this decision and provide complete repayment for the expense of the trips."

UK Government Response and Past Precedent

The British administration maintained that the visits were personal and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson commented: "The Scottish government are responsible for security expenses in Scotland as per agreed funding agreements for devolved matters."

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

"Westminster must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a official trip … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir spending time with the president, having press conferences with them, conducting international business with them, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was merely a personal vacation."