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The UK government is being urged to "step up" and cover the £24.5m expense incurred during the recent trips by former President Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Holyrood official.

Substantial Provisional Costs Revealed

Provisional costs amounting to almost £24.5m for the pair of working visits have been published by the administration in Edinburgh.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's refusal to provide funding as "absurd," stating that both trips were clearly work-related, pointing out that the American leader held discussions with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer during his July visit in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Security Expenses

The former president toured his golf courses at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a five-day period in July, while US vice-president JD Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the trips placed "substantial strains and costs on Scottish public services, especially Police Scotland."

The Scottish government calculates that the estimated expense for policing the president's trip by itself was £21 million, which reflected peak daily deployments of more than 4,000 officers, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were approximately £3m.

Complex Security Mission

This complex security mission was the largest in Scotland since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved regional police, national divisions, special constables and wider UK colleagues for expert assistance.

Robison wrote: "After your choice not to offer financial support to Scotland for expenses incurred in relation to the trip of President Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the subsequent trip of VP JD Vance, I am writing you to ask that you reconsider this stance and offer complete repayment for the cost of the trips."

Westminster Response and Previous Example

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

While the Finance Secretary referenced previous precedent where the UK government reimbursed the expense of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is believed that visit followed a formal UK government invitation, in which instance it included security costs under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, 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 them, its really stretching the bounds of credibility to say this was merely a personal vacation."