The Trump Tower Belgrade project has caused a global controversy as Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, aims to transform Serbia’s war-torn Defence Ministry site into a gleaming luxury complex. Located in the heart of Belgrade, the partially destroyed buildings have stood untouched since NATO’s 1999 airstrikes, serving as both a painful reminder of war and a politically charged symbol of Serbia’s strained ties with the West.
Now, with plans to redevelop the site into a $500 million tower bearing Donald Trump’s name, outrage is mounting at home and abroad. This bombed-out relic from Serbia may soon become the most controversial real estate in Europe, if the deal survives the mounting backlash and legal drama.
Kushner’s Trump Tower Belgrade Plan Raises Questions in Serbia
Jared Kushner’s Affinity Global signed a 99-year lease deal in 2023 to redevelop the former Yugoslav Army Headquarters into a luxury hotel, residences, and shopping complex. But the site’s significance as a memorial to the 1999 NATO bombing campaign has made the deal deeply polarising.
President Aleksandar Vučić supported the project, claiming it’s “important to overcome the burden from 1999” and strengthen ties with the U.S. Critics, however, argue that granting the lease, reportedly without any public tender or upfront cost, follows a troubling trend of favouring foreign developers, reminiscent of the Belgrade Waterfront deal.
While some, like financial consultant James Thornley, argue the project could uplift Serbia’s international image, others, such as former CBRE executive Andrew Peirson, call out the lack of transparency.
Legal Twist Could Derail the Trump Deal
In a dramatic turn, the project is now under legal scrutiny. Goran Vasic, head of Serbia’s cultural heritage agency, was arrested in May for forging expert reports that stripped the site’s protected status, an essential move that allowed the redevelopment. Vasic admitted to fabricating the document, leading prosecutors to charge him with forgery and abuse of office.
Architects and cultural experts have condemned the planned demolition, warning it violates Serbian law and erases a crucial part of the nation’s history. Slobodan Maldini called the Defence Ministry buildings “a monumental composition” and a leading work of Yugoslav brutalist architecture.
Despite the uproar, President Vučić denied any wrongdoing and insisted the project would move forward. Kushner’s firm maintains it had no role in the site’s reclassification but admits the development is now in limbo.