Plans for the first Trump International Hotel in Europe have been thrown into question after Serbian officials admitted the paperwork clearing the way for the project was forged. With political backlash mounting and legal charges filed, the future of the $500 million development, led by President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now uncertain, per the New York Times. Bloomberg reports it's on hold. The forged paperwork, traced to Goran Vasic, head of Serbia's agency for cultural monuments, allowed the bombed-out former Yugoslav Defense Ministry building in Belgrade to lose its protected historic status, clearing the way for demolition and development. Vasic has admitted to fabricating an expert opinion used to justify the site's reclassification.
Vasic now faces charges of abuse of office and forgery of official documents, and the project's legal footing—already controversial due to the site's history—has grown shakier. The government had tentatively approved leasing the site to Kushner and his business partners for 99 years. Kushner's Affinity Partners denied any part in the heritage status review and said work has not begun on the site. They said they learned of the forgery through Serbian media reports and are reviewing the situation. Opposition leaders argue the forged document shows special treatment for the Trump and Kushner businesses. The hotel plan has already sparked protests in Belgrade, both over the demolition of the site bombed by NATO in 1999 and broader discontent with Serbia's president. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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