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

Substantial Estimated Expenses Disclosed

Provisional expenses amounting to nearly £24.5 million for the two working visits have been made public by the Scottish government.

Ivan McKee described the Westminster's refusal to offer financial support as "absurd," stating that both trips were clearly official, noting that the US president held meetings with European Union chief the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his summer visit in Scotland.

Particulars of the Trips and Related Policing Costs

Donald Trump visited his golf courses at Turnberry and Menie over a week-long trip in July, while US vice-president Vance spent around a long weekend in the Ayrshire region in August.

In a formal letter to the Treasury minister James Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the visits placed "significant strains and costs on public services in Scotland, especially the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for securing the president's trip by itself was £21m, which reflected maximum daily assignments of over four thousand police, while expenses for the VP's visit were about £3 million.

Complex Policing Operation

This extensive policing operation was the largest in the country since the death of the late Queen in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, volunteer officers and wider UK colleagues for specialist support.

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

UK Government Reply and Previous Example

The British administration stated that the visits were personal and "not official UK government business." A representative added: "Holyrood must cover policing costs in the country as per established funding agreements for devolved matters."

While the Finance Secretary referenced previous precedent where the UK government covered the expense of the president's 2018 trip to Scotland, it is believed that trip followed a official invitation from Westminster, in which instance it covered security costs under its funding guidelines.

"Westminster must take action and pay. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a work visit … Particularly when you have the PM Sir Keir spending time with Donald Trump, having press conferences with him, conducting international business with him, its really hard to believe to say this was just a personal vacation."