CASH-strapped Police Scotland will have to find an extra £5 million to pay for the policing of a visit by Donald Trump.

The force, who have a £35m black hole in their finances, are fretting about the cost.

Scottish Police Federation boss Calum Steele even warned that the need to find cash to pay for a Presidential visit could “deeply damage the quality of policing that’s able to be delivered to the communities of Scotland for many months to come”.

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Though Police Scotland themselves were keen to downplay this.

Interim chief constable, Iain Livingstone told a board meeting of the Scottish Police Authority that 5000 officers would be needed for what would be one of the biggest operations on Scottish soil since the G8 met in Perthshire in 2005.

He said: “In practical terms even without a confirmed itinerary we need to consider a wide variety of policing factors, ranging from security measures for the president as a protected person to the policing of potential demonstrations and protests and our duty to ensure and enable such demonstrations and protests.

“All of this would be dependent – and is dependent – on resources.

“This has meant we have had to cancel rest days and change shifts for many officers and significant disruption to the people involved and their families.

“We estimate at this time that we will have to utilise more than 5000 conventional officers along with public order officers and specialised search and firearms resources.

“All of this is on top of day to day policing as well as additional summer pressures.”

Asked by SPA chair, Susan Deacon, about possible costs, he said: “In general terms, looking at numbers, potential for mutual aid, numbers of potential sites and locations, my estimate at this stage … is potentially around the £5m mark, which is clearly is a significant impact on an already very disciplined and focused budget.”

On who would pay any Trump policing bill, Livingstone said: “We don’t have any clarity at this stage over where this additional funding can be met.”

He added: “I have concern both about the amount – around £5m… and the concern I have if Police Scotland will be able to get support.”

There were some questions over the funding, with the Home Office initially saying the costs would need to be fronted by the Scottish force.

“Policing in Scotland is a devolved matter, so anything about costs or funding for the police is a matter for the Scottish Government, not the UK Government,” a spokesman said.

Though a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister later indicated that they would be willing to help out.

“More generally, for major events we obviously work very closely with the police and we will consider requests for support, including financial support on a case by case basis,” the spokeswoman said.

New Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said he would be writing to the Home Office for clarity.

“Although a visit from the US President has not been confirmed, we are planning for every eventuality with key partners including Police Scotland. That planning involves on-going engagement with the UK Government on all aspects of any potential visit, including the significant cost implications it would carry for policing in Scotland.

“Given the President’s visit to the UK comes at the invitation of the UK Government, we are disappointed that they are not automatically paying these costs. I will be writing to them to seek further clarity over how these costs will be met, should a visit to Scotland take place.”

The president is due to come to the UK on July 13.

Yesterday morning the White House announced that Trump would meet with Vladimir Putin on July 16 in Helsinki.

It seems likely the US Commander-in-Chief will spend the days between in Scotland, where he owns golf courses in Aberdeenshire and Ayr.