Trump's Kids Face Controversy Over Albanian Resort Purchase
WHO:
Alternet - President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner are involved in the controversy.
The Daily Beast - Artur Shehu, the businessman who sold the land to the Trumps, is alleged to have ties to organized crime.
The Daily Beast - Kostaq Konomi, an 81-year-old resident, is one of the villagers claiming wrongful sale of their land.
The Daily Beast - Kostandin Beko is the lawyer representing the villagers.
The Daily Beast - Edi Rama is the Socialist Prime Minister of Albania.
WHAT:
Alternet - Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner plan to develop a $1.4 billion luxury resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan.
The Daily Beast - The wider hotel development along the Zvërnec coastline is estimated to be worth around $4.7 billion.
The Daily Beast - Protests have been ongoing for weeks, with villagers alleging their land was wrongfully sold for development since 2024.
The Daily Beast - Albanian media reported that anti-corruption prosecutors are investigating Artur Shehu for large-scale money laundering.
The Daily Beast - Protests have turned violent, with thousands participating and some demonstrators holding cardboard cutouts of flamingos.
WHERE:
Alternet - The luxury resort is planned for the uninhabited island of Sazan and the Zvërnec coastline in Albania.
The Daily Beast - The village of Zvërnec is where residents are claiming ownership of the land.
WHEN:
The Daily Beast - The villagers were declared the rightful owners of the land by an Albanian court in 2013.
The Daily Beast - The deal for the project was struck in 2024.
WHY:
Alternet - Locals claim the resort will destroy wildlife and increase oligarchical presence in Albania.
The Daily Beast - Concerns have been raised about the environmental impact on the wildlife-rich area, including flamingos and sea turtles.
HOW:
Alternet - Construction has reportedly begun, with excavators and heavy machinery entering the area.
The Daily Beast - Villagers presented tax records and property deeds as evidence of their ownership claims.
(UPDATED June 14, 2026 15:34 UTC)
President Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are facing controversy over their plans to develop a $1.4 billion luxury resort on the uninhabited island of Sazan and along the Zvërnec coastline in Albania, where protests have erupted from villagers claiming their land was wrongfully sold. The businessman who sold the land, Artur Shehu, is under investigation for large-scale money laundering, while villagers, represented by lawyer Kostandin Beko, argue they are the rightful owners, a claim supported by an Albanian court ruling from 2013. Concerns about the environmental impact on local wildlife, including flamingos and sea turtles, have fueled ongoing protests, which have turned violent, with thousands participating and some demonstrators holding cardboard cutouts of flamingos.