A remote Albanian island has become the latest flashpoint in the debate over Donald Trump’s growing business empire, with thousands protesting plans by his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner to build a luxury resort on one of the Adriatic’s last untouched stretches of coastline. The £1bn-plus project on Sazan Island has triggered a political storm, raising fresh questions about how far the Trump family’s commercial interests can expand while Trump remains in the White House. Paradise Island Turns Political Battleground Sazan Island sits at the entrance to the Bay of Vlorë, surrounded by turquoise waters and largely protected from development by unexploded Second World War munitions beneath its coastline. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner want to transform the 3,500-acre island into a high-end tourism destination featuring eco-homes and luxury hotels. But opponents say the project threatens a fragile environment and has moved forward without meaningful public consultation. Thousands have taken to the streets of Tirana in recent days, turning what might have been a local planning dispute into a broader challenge to the Trump family’s global business ambitions. The Billion-Pound Brand Expansion The Albanian project is just one part of a much larger expansion. Since Trump returned to office, the family has pursued ventures spanning property, cryptocurrency and international development projects. Analysts estimate the family has generated billions through a mix of real-estate deals, digital assets and overseas investments. New projects have emerged across Europe, the Middle East and Asia as the Trump name continues to attract investors seeking access, influence or commercial opportunity. Cracks Emerging Beneath the Success Yet resistance is growing. An £800m Trump-branded hotel and tower project on Australia’s Gold Coast collapsed last month after local developers reportedly concluded the brand had become politically toxic. Brand experts argue Trump’s political power remains a major asset, particularly among loyal supporters and business interests benefiting from his policies. But they also warn that political volatility creates uncertainty that many investors dislike. Questions Over Power and Profit Intensify Critics argue the scale of the Trump family’s business activity during his second term is unprecedented in modern American politics. Historians and watchdog groups point to a growing overlap between political influence and private commercial gain. Supporters dismiss those claims as politically motivated attacks on a successful business family. But as protests spread from Albania to other international projects, scrutiny is intensifying. For now, Sazan Island has become more than a luxury development. It is a test of whether the Trump brand remains unstoppable—or whether public resistance is finally beginning to catch up with it. The unlikely European island leading the global resistance against Trump
