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The UK government is being called upon to "take responsibility" and reimburse the £24.5 million expense incurred during the recent visits by Donald Trump and Vice-President Vance to Scotland, according to a top Holyrood official.

Significant Provisional Costs Disclosed

Provisional costs amounting to almost £24.5 million for the pair of working visits have been made public by the Scottish government.

Ivan McKee labeled the UK government's unwillingness to offer financial support as "ridiculous," stating that both visits were obviously work-related, noting that the American leader held discussions with EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his July stay in the northern nation.

Particulars of the Visits and Associated Policing Costs

Donald Trump toured his golf courses at Turnberry in Ayrshire and Menie over a week-long trip in the summer, while US vice-president Vance spent approximately four days in Ayrshire in August.

In a written communication to the Treasury minister Chief Secretary Murray, Scotland’s finance secretary stated that the trips placed "substantial strains and costs on public services in Scotland, particularly the Scottish police force."

The Edinburgh administration calculates that the provisional cost for securing the presidential visit alone was £21 million, which involved peak daily deployments of more than four thousand police, while costs for the vice-president’s trip were about £3m.

Complex Policing Operation

This extensive policing operation was the largest in the country since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and involved regional police, specialist units, special constables and officers from across the UK for expert assistance.

Robison wrote: "Following your choice not to provide funding to the Scottish government for costs incurred in connection with the trip of President Donald Trump to the nation in summer 2025 and the following visit of Vice-President Vance, I am writing you to request that you review this stance and provide full reimbursement for the expense of the visits."

UK Government Reply and Past Precedent

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

While Robison referenced previous precedent where the UK government covered the cost of Trump’s 2018 visit to Scotland, it is understood that visit followed a official invitation from Westminster, in which instance it included security costs under its statement of funding policy.

"Westminster must take action and pay. I think it’s unreasonable, it was clearly a official trip … Especially when you have the prime minister Keir Starmer meeting with the president, having press conferences with him, engaging in global diplomacy with him, its really hard to believe to say this was merely a personal vacation."