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The UK government is being urged to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5m cost incurred during the recent trips by former President Trump and JD Vance to Scotland, according to a top Scottish minister.

Substantial Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional expenses amounting to nearly £24.5 million for the two official trips have been published by the Scottish government.

Ivan McKee labeled the Westminster's refusal to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both trips were clearly work-related, noting that the US president held meetings with EU Commission president the EU's von der Leyen and British PM Keir Starmer during his July stay in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Visits and Related Security Expenses

The former president toured his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a five-day trip in the summer, while American VP JD Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a formal letter to the Treasury minister James Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary wrote that the trips placed "substantial strains and costs on Scottish public services, particularly Police Scotland."

The Scottish government estimates that the estimated expense for policing the presidential visit alone was £21m, which reflected maximum daily assignments of more than four thousand police, while costs for the VP's visit were approximately £3m.

Complex Security Mission

This extensive security mission was the biggest in the country since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and involved local officers, national divisions, special constables and officers from across the UK for specialist support.

The Finance Secretary stated: "Following your choice not to offer financial support to the Scottish government for expenses incurred in connection with the trip of Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the following visit of Vice-President Vance, I am writing you to ask that you reconsider this decision and provide complete repayment for the expense of the trips."

Westminster Reply and Previous Example

The British administration maintained that the visits were private and "not part of official government duties." A spokesperson commented: "Holyrood are responsible for security expenses in the country as per agreed devolved funding arrangements."

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

"Westminster must take action and cover the cost. I think it’s unreasonable, it was obviously a work visit … Especially when you have the prime minister Sir Keir meeting with Donald Trump, holding joint briefings with them, engaging in global diplomacy with them, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a private holiday trip."