'Trump island' makes waves

In Albania, suspicion over Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s plans for luxury villas and hotels is rife. And in Washington, Democrats fear it would mean foreign influence if Donald Trump becomes the next president, writes Rich Booth

- Rich Booth

The coastal city of Vlore was, until recently, a secret to many outside of Albania, surrounded by some of the most unspoilt nature reserves in Europe, a haven for rare bird watching and a stop-off on the way to the capital of Tirana. That was all before Donald Trump’s family showed an interest.

The global spotlight has now been shone on the city, with bemused residents finding themselves at the centre of a political storm involving the presidential hopeful, his daughter and sonin-law, and accusations of foreign corruption.

Earlier this year Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner revealed surprise plans to invest in the Balkans, including in the coastal area of Zvernec just north of Vlore, one on an island near the city, and one in Serbia’s capital Belgrade. In Albania, a country fearful of corruption, residents are suspicious of the plans known locally as “Trump villas”.

The projects will be Kushner’s biggest yet, using his private equity fund Affinity Partners – financed largely by investors in Saudi Arabia. The former top aide to his father-in-law set up the firm after stepping down in 2021.

The overall investment in Albania is expected to exceed a billion dollars, including luxury hotels and villas totalling thousands of new rooms. The island hotel is set to be operated by the exclusive Aman brand, boasting previous guests such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.

But with the US presidential election just weeks away, Kushner’s funding has Democrats concerned. The Senate Finance Committee has dragged the former president into yet another political scandal over fears the project will bring foreign influence on US politics.