Ivanka Trump plans a luxury resort on a protected beach. Locals and conservationists aren’t thrilled

June 8, 2026 - 00:50

In a polished podcast interview released this week, Ivanka Trump detailed her newest real estate venture. She described it as an "unbelievable, beautiful 1,400-hectare private island in the middle of the Mediterranean," along with five miles of pristine Albanian beachfront she intends to develop into hotels and luxury resorts. The project, however, is already facing strong opposition from local residents and environmental groups.

The proposed development sits on a stretch of coastline that includes protected beaches and sensitive ecosystems. Conservationists argue that building large-scale resorts there would cause irreversible damage to the area's natural habitat. Local fishermen and small business owners also worry that the project will push them out, replacing traditional livelihoods with exclusive, high-end tourism that benefits only wealthy outsiders.

Albanian officials have not yet issued final permits for the project, but the Trump family's business history in the region has made many skeptical. Critics point to past controversies involving foreign investments that promised jobs but delivered little to local communities. For now, Ivanka Trump's vision of a Mediterranean paradise remains a source of tension rather than celebration along the Albanian coast.