‘Why isn't he paying?' Trump's golf visit to cost Scottish taxpayers.
His visit requires a major police operation that will cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds as protests are planned over the weekend. The union representing officers is concerned they are already overworked and will be diverted from their normal duties and some residents are not happy about the cost.
'Why isn't he paying for it himself? He's coming for golf, isn't he?' said Merle Fertuson, a solo protester in Edinburgh holding a hand-drawn cardboard sign that featured a foolishly grinning Trump likeness in a tuxedo. 'It's got nothing whatsoever to do with public money, either U.S. or U.K.'
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A police dog handler walks his dog on the beach to help with security at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, Friday, July 25, 2025, ahead of President Trump's visit Scotland.
Alastair Grant/Associated Press
Policing for Trump's four-day visit to the U.K. in 2018 cost more than 14 million pounds ($19 million), according to Freedom of Information figures. That included more than 3 million pounds ($4 million) spent for his two-day golf trip to Turnberry, the historic course and hotel in southwest Scotland that he bought in 2014.
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Police Scotland would not discuss how many officers were being deployed for operational reasons and only said the costs would be 'considerable.'
'The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other U.K. police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements,' Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said.
Police on buggies guard the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, Friday, July 25, 2025, ahead of President Trump's visit Scotland.
Alastair Grant/Associated Press
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said the visit would not be detrimental to policing.
'It's nonsensical to say it won't impact it,' said David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, the officers' union.
Kennedy said he expects about 5,000 officers to take part in the operation.
He said a force reduction in recent years has police working 12-hour shifts. Communities that are understaffed will be left behind with even fewer officers during Trump's visit.
'We want the president of the United States to be able to come to Scotland. That's not what this is about,' Kennedy said. 'It's the current state of the police service and the numbers we have causes great difficulty.'
The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries. The group encouraged people to 'show Trump exactly what we think of him in Scotland.'
Trump should receive a much warmer welcome from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is expected to meet with him during the visit. Swinney, the left-leaning head of Scottish government and former Trump critic, also plans to meet with the president.
Melley reported from London. Will Weissert contributed from Edinburgh.
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