Trump Tower to Be Built in Belgrade as Authorities Prioritize the Controversial Project

Serbia’s parliament has approved a law enabling the construction of a Trump Tower in Belgrade. The project, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, is planned for the site of the Ministry of Defense building destroyed in 1999. The decision was passed despite protests, a probe into forged documents and disputes over the future of the symbolic site, Bloomberg reports.

Priority Status

The law grants the project priority status and allows the $500 million site to be cleared in fast-track mode, bypassing standard urban-planning rules. The special procedure makes it possible to quickly remove restrictions that previously hindered the launch of construction in the city center. Trump Tower Belgrade is planned for the former Yugoslav Army headquarters, heavily damaged during NATO’s 1999 bombing.

Jared Kushner is the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. His company, Affinity Partners, unveiled the first project designs in March 2024. They include two major skyscrapers: a 175-room hotel and about 1,500 luxury apartments in the city center, across from the government building. The legislation was advanced by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party led by President Aleksandar Vucic, who in recent years has sought to strengthen ties with the Trump family.

Protests and Public Pressure

The initiative faced resistance from the outset. In spring 2025, Belgrade saw mass student protests against the government’s agreement with U.S. investors linked to Jared Kushner. Demonstrators demanded the cancellation of the contract and the restoration of protected status for the former Yugoslav Ministry of Defense building. They opposed the plan to convert three central city blocks into a hotel complex.

These demonstrations became part of a broader protest wave that began after a deadly roof collapse at a railway station in November 2024. The movement grew amid accusations of inefficiency and corruption directed at President Aleksandar Vucic and his administration. Opposition and environmental groups had previously protested as well, arguing that Kushner’s project would distort the historic appearance of central Belgrade and show disregard for the city’s architectural heritage.

Political Criticism and International Reaction

The parliamentary vote came almost exactly on the anniversary of the station tragedy. During the debate, opposition MP Savo Manojlovic said that the buildings destroyed by NATO “are now being destroyed by corruption,” calling the construction of a luxury hotel on the strike site “an insult to national pride.” He stressed that many citizens view the project as offensive.

Europa Nostra, Europe’s leading cultural-heritage organization, emphasized that the ruins remain part of Serbia’s historical memory and must not disappear just because a private investor intends to build a hotel and residential complex on the site. The group’s secretary-general, Sneska Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, said that demolition is “unacceptable” and that the state is obliged to preserve the site regardless of the developer’s interests.

Investigation and Forgery Allegations

Tensions escalated after prosecutors uncovered forged documents used to remove the protected status of the former Ministry of Defense site. Investigators found that some signatures used to justify lifting the protection were falsified. Meanwhile, Serbian authorities had already leased the site to the developer for 99 years.

Aleksandar Vucic accused prosecutors of trying to undermine the project for political reasons, claiming they were acting against Serbia’s efforts to build closer ties with Donald Trump. He also mocked the protected-site designation granted to the damaged Communist-era buildings in 2005, arguing it no longer aligns with the country's development goals.

Economic Risks and External Pressure

Despite protests and the ongoing investigation, the authorities continue to advance the project, although its prospects remain uncertain. Vucic is navigating one of the most difficult periods of his tenure, marked by months of protests, corruption scandals and declining public trust.

Another challenge is the potential fuel crisis. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Serbia’s only refinery, NIS AD, which is controlled by Russia’s Gazprom. Vucic recently asked the U.S. for more time to resolve the issue, noting that Serbia still depends on the Russian gas monopoly for energy imports.