Taxpayers paid the bill for rooms for John Swinney and his entourage at Donald Trump’s golf resort during the US President’s visit last month.
The billionaire’s Aberdeenshire hotel charged the First Minister and his officials for their stay, with the Scottish Government picking up the tab.
Officials refused to say how many rooms were taken or the nightly rate, but it is believed to have been hundreds of pounds.
Mr Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer flanked the President at a dinner at the five-star MacLeod House & Lodge at his Balmedie estate on July 28.
The First Minister then met Mr Trump for 20 minutes the following morning, before the President played on a new course.
Mr Swinney said the pair discussed US tariffs which cost the Scotch whisky industry £4.5million a week.
The First Minister said he also raised the ‘heartache in Scotland about the situation in Gaza’.
Although he urged voters to back Kamala Harris in last year’s US election, the FM said he wanted good relations with Mr Trump so Scotland’s voice is heard ‘loud and clear’.
He presented the President with framed documents related to his Scots ancestry and was called a ‘terrific guy’ by Mr Tump in return.
Scots Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain said: ‘Donald Trump seems to be a very transactional President so I hope that in exchange for booking accommodation at his hotel, John Swinney achieved some benefit for Scottish salmon and whisky producers.’
Green MSP Maggie Chapman added: ‘This wasn’t a state visit. Taxpayers shouldn’t be picking up the tab.
‘How can we expect the First Minister to stand up to the President when he is paying to sleep in one of his rooms?’ The Scottish Government said: ‘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.’
Mr Trump has been repeatedly accused by his opponents in the US of using his position to enrich himself though his hotel empire.