Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, are investing $1.4 billion to transform a former Soviet military base into a high-end luxury island resort. The project follows the legacy of Ivanka’s father, President Donald Trump, who made a name for himself through real estate development.
Ivanka and Kushner have worked over the past year to turn the Albanian island of Sazan, notably one of the few underdeveloped islands in the Mediterranean, into a tourist destination for wealthy travelers.
A big step forward
Plans have moved forward as the couple saw their proposal receive preliminary approval from the Albanian government in January, according to The New York Times.
The big step came the same month that Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States following his victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris in November 2024. The Times noted that the project is one of several involving members of Trump’s family and foreign governments with which the president will be working during his time in office.
Prior to the plan’s approval, there was speculation among locals about the future of the former military base, with some now dubbing it “Trump Island.”
Ivanka and Kushner have deep connections in the real estate industry through their families. However, this is the first time the pair has waded into the luxury hotel industry themselves, and they may face some big obstacles.
Accusations of Trump influencing deal
Kushner and a spokesperson for the Albanian government have pushed back against accusations that the project’s approval is being influenced by the couple’s relationship with Trump. They have denied that the decision to move forward with the project has anything to do with the president’s influence.
“The fact that such a renowned American entrepreneur shows his interest in investing in Albania makes us very proud and happy,” a spokesperson for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told The Times.
A dark past on Sazan
Despite the site’s ominous past and its years of closure, the island reopened its beaches to the public in 2017. The island is now accessible through ferry and sees many tourists, as noted by Lonely Planet.
“Once used as a submarine and chemical-weapons base by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, it’s now home to an Albanian-Italian military base used to combat narcotics,” the travel site states. “In the summer of 2017, a small area of the island opened to visitors, making parts of its pristine coastline and historic relics accessible for the first time.”
Cleanup effort
Ivanka and Kushner must now deal with cleaning up the island, once used to store chemical weapons and filled with unexploded landmines.
Despite the duo’s plans for a 1,400-acre resort, the island currently features signs warning of land mines while urging people not to stray too far over fears they could stumble upon a deadly explosive.
Efforts to remove the remaining chemical weapons and landmines are currently underway and have been in place since 2020, when the Albanian government said servicemembers would begin clearing the island.
Following approval of the resort plans, the Albanian government announced it would resume efforts to remove all unexploded devices and buried weapons stockpiles.
The former military site also has decaying military buildings and thousands of abandoned bunkers. Ivanka and Kushner reportedly plan on including some of them in their resort plans.
Supporters of the plans
Rama, who supports the resort plans, asserted to The Guardian that his country “can’t afford not to exploit a gift like Sazan.” He said, “We need luxury tourism like a desert needs water.”
In preparation for more tourists, Albania is in the process of constructing a new airport that will serve as an access point for Kushner and Ivanka’s future hotel.
Critics of the plan
However, the plans have faced criticism, with some accusing the Albanian government of being secretive about the deal with the couple.
Agron Shehaj, who is a member of the opposition party in Albania, told The Times, “Of course, for Albania, which is a poor country, it is important to develop tourism. But there has been a lack of transparency here, and it makes it look like this is a private deal that is in the political interest of the prime minister of Albania.”
Environmentalists have also raised concerns about the impact the development may have on wildlife and ecosystems on the island.
“The way tourism works for Sazan at the moment is it helps to preserve nature, not damage it. We shouldn’t change that,” Arben Kola, a freelance tour guide, told The Independent.
Kushner’s statement
Previously, Kushner dismissed concerns the plans would harm the environment. He told The Guardian that the blueprint would consider Sazan’s natural habitats.
“When people announce a new development, everyone gets scared,” he said. “Everybody assumes the worst. But once they see the plans we have, the way we’re designing it, the way we’re being faithful and considerate of the environment around us, I think people will be very, very pleased. And again, with developments, you never make everyone happy.”
To date, a timeline for the resort’s completion has not been disclosed.
