Serbia’s Trump Hotel Project Stalled by Document Forgery

Belgrade, Serbia — Serbian authorities have revealed that a government official admitted to forging a document that permitted the demolition of a protected cultural site in Belgrade for a planned Trump Hotel. The luxury project, valued at $500 million, faced major setbacks after confirming the authenticity of key documents required for its approval.

The hotel, which would include residential and commercial areas, was set to replace the historic Ministry of Defense building, severely damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing. Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, has partnered in the venture.

Goran Vasic, head of the Serbian agency responsible for cultural monuments, confessed to falsifying an expert opinion to revoke the site’s cultural heritage status, allowing the government to proceed with the deal. The Serbian Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime stated that Vasic now faces charges for his actions.

Affinity Partners, Kushner’s company, released a statement asserting it was uninvolved in the document review process. ‘We will investigate this case and decide on next steps,’ the statement read. As of now, construction on the site has not begun, leaving the project’s future uncertain.

The urgency for the project has already spurred public outrage, leading to numerous protests in Belgrade against the demolition of the historic site in order to make way for the luxury hotel. Dragan Jonic, an opposition politician, remarked, ‘This admission of forgery is a clear sign of collusion to benefit the Trump family.’

Under the preliminary agreement, Kushner and his partners would lease the site for 99 years, marking the initial collaboration between the Trump and Kushner families in a significant foreign venture.

The project has drawn attention due to its involvement with foreign entities and the implications of potential conflicts of interest. Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, noted, ‘The blending of business interests with U.S. foreign policy raises serious concerns about influence and favoritism.’