🔗 Share this article

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

Substantial Provisional Costs Disclosed

Preliminary costs totalling almost £24.5m for the two working visits have been made public by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the UK government's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," arguing that both trips were obviously official, noting that the American leader held discussions with European Union chief the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his July stay in Scotland.

Details of the Trips and Associated Security Expenses

The former president toured his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a week-long trip in July, while US vice-president JD Vance spent approximately four days in the Ayrshire region in late summer.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote that the trips placed "significant strains and costs on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

The Scottish government calculates that the provisional cost for securing the presidential visit by itself was £21m, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over four thousand police, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were about £3 million.

Large-Scale Policing Operation

This extensive security mission was the largest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved regional police, national divisions, volunteer officers and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

Robison wrote: "Following your decision not to provide funding to the Scottish government for expenses accrued in connection with the visit of Donald Trump to Scotland in summer 2025 and the subsequent trip of Vice-President JD Vance, I am contacting you to request that you reconsider this stance and offer full reimbursement for the expense of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Previous Example

The British administration maintained that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson added: "Holyrood are responsible for policing costs in Scotland as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary referenced past instances where the UK government covered the cost of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is understood that visit came after a official invitation from Westminster, in which instance it covered protection expenses under its funding guidelines.

"The UK government must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s ridiculous, it was clearly a work visit … Especially when you have the PM Keir Starmer meeting with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, conducting international business with him, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was just a private holiday trip."