Exclusive:Scottish taxpayers foot bill as Trump resort books accommodation for John Swinney visit

Details of government expenditure released to The Scotsman via freedom of information legislation show that Mr Trump’s Aberdeenshire property secured rooms for Mr Swinney and his entourage, with the Scottish Government later settling the invoice.

The Scotsman initially reported that Mr Swinney and his government officials stayed directly at Mr Trump’s hotel in Balmedie, but the firm said its role was to find accommodation nearby, and invoice the government.

The Scottish Government did not disclose the number of rooms, or the nightly rate, it paid for the group’s stay, but at the time of The Scotsman’s FoI request, the total cost, including travel, accommodation and subsistence for Mr Swinney and his officials, ran to £730.

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In its response to the FoI request, the government explained: “Trump International Golf Club Scotland procured hotel rooms for attendees at an event at Trump International Scotland in Aberdeenshire.

“The organisation was reimbursed by the Scottish Government for rooms allocated to the First Minister and Scottish Government officials.”

The prospect of the Scottish Government using one of Mr Trump’s companies to procure accommodation would have been unthinkable under Mr Swinney’s predecessors, Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon, both of whom are strident critics of the US president.

But in spite of their political differences, Mr Swinney has sought to foster closer relations with the 79 year-old, insisting that their meeting last month was an opportunity to ensure “Scotland’s voice was heard loud and clear.”

Mr Swinney sat beside Mr Trump during a dinner of beef and langoustines at his Aberdeenshire property on 28 July, where other guests included Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The following morning, Mr Swinney held talks with Mr Trump, which lasted between 15 and 20 minutes, and spanned issues including whisky tariffs and the situation in Gaza.

Ahead of the meeting, the first minister gifted Mr Trump a framed excerpt from the 1921 census for Stornoway, which featured his mother's family, and an entry from an old parish register detailing the marriage of his great-grandparents. Mr Trump, in turn, presented Mr Swinney with an American bald eagle figurine

Later that day, Mr Swinney was among the invited guests as Mr Trump officially opened a new course at the Balmedie resort, where he called the first minister a “terrific guy.”

A spokesman for Trump International Scotland said: “We were delighted the first minister attended a dinner at MacLeod House during the president’s visit last month and was also the preeminent guest at the grand opening ceremony of the new course the following day. To be clear, the first minister did not stay overnight at any Trump International Scotland property nor was charged by Trump International.

“Trump International Scotland did receive a request from the Scottish Government to assist with sourcing hotel accommodation in the Aberdeen area which we were pleased to do. The Scottish Government specifically requested that the invoices for this accommodation be settled by them.”

Mr Trump’s Scottish properties have been paid hundreds of thousands of pounds by his own government since his first term in office, sparking widespread ethical concerns over how his private businesses can generate revenue via his public office.