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The British administration is being urged to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5 million cost incurred during recent trips by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a senior Holyrood official.

Substantial Provisional Costs Revealed

Provisional costs amounting to nearly £24.5m for the two working visits have been published by the Scottish government.

Public Finance Minister McKee described the Westminster's refusal to provide funding as "ridiculous," arguing that both visits were clearly official, noting that the American leader held meetings with European Union chief the EU's von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his July visit in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Trips and Associated Security Expenses

The former president toured his golfing resorts at Turnberry and Menie in Aberdeenshire over a five-day period in July, while American VP JD Vance spent approximately four days in the Ayrshire region in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury’s chief secretary Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the trips placed "substantial operational and financial burdens on public services in Scotland, especially the Scottish police force."

The Scottish government estimates that the provisional cost for securing the president's trip by itself was £21 million, which involved peak daily deployments of more than 4,000 officers, while costs for the VP's visit were approximately £3m.

Large-Scale Security Mission

This complex security mission was the biggest in the country since the passing of the late Queen in 2022, and involved regional police, specialist units, volunteer officers and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

Robison wrote: "Following your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for expenses accrued in relation to the visit of Donald Trump to Scotland in July 2025 and the following trip of Vice-President Vance, I am contacting you to request that you review this decision and provide full reimbursement for the expense of the visits."

Westminster Reply and Previous Example

The British administration stated that the trips were private and "not official UK government business." A representative added: "Holyrood must cover security expenses in the country as per agreed devolved funding arrangements."

While Robison pointed to previous precedent where the UK government reimbursed the cost of the president's 2018 trip to the nation, it is understood that trip came after a formal invitation from Westminster, in which instance it included protection expenses under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster 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 the president, holding joint briefings with them, engaging in international business with them, its really hard to believe to say this was just a private holiday trip."