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These are places around the world where Trump-owned or Trump-branded projects were widely reported as symbols of luxury-led redevelopment, priced at notable premiums, or tied to controversies that locals said harmed communities. These included the displacement of local businesses, skyrocketing property prices, and a sharp increase in income inequality.
Hudson Square, “West SoHo,” Manhattan (New York City) – Trump SoHo (condo-hotel) – Built via a controversial condo-hotel/zoning approach in a manufacturing zone, opposed by community and business groups, and later discussed as part of the neighbourhood’s shift toward upscale residential development.
Upper West Side waterfront, Lincoln Square, Manhattan – Riverside South/Trump Place – A major Trump-led waterfront redevelopment that drew organised opposition around scale, infrastructure strain, and lack of affordable housing – criticisms often linked to luxury-led “upscaling” pressures in adjacent areas.
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Trump casino empire (incl. Taj Mahal) – Trump’s casino ventures became part of the city’s boom/bust story: bankruptcies, closures, and thousands of job losses that local reporting linked to broader neighbourhood decline and knock-on harm to nearby small businesses and workers.
Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia – Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver (luxury condos) – Marketed as ultra-luxury with record pricing for new condos and tied to debates about offshore/foreign capital and affordability in Vancouver’s housing market.
Financial District, Toronto, Ontario – Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto (condo-hotel) – Described in local long-form coverage as a high-end “monument to excess” surrounded by controversy and investor disputes – again intersecting with Toronto’s broader “luxury market vs affordability” tensions.
Kalyani Nagar, Pune, India – Trump Towers Pune (luxury residential, Trump-branded) – Reported as carrying a sizable “Trump-name” premium (priced materially above comparable nearby properties), a dynamic critics associate with elite enclaves and widening local inequality in high-growth cities.
Gurgaon (Delhi NCR), India – Trump Towers Delhi NCR (Trump-branded) – Reported pricing in the multi-crore range and large bookings for premium units – often cited as emblematic of top-end real estate expanding faster than middle-income housing supply.
Panama City, Panama – Trump Ocean Club (formerly Trump-branded/managed) – The project drew extensive scrutiny: reporting on alleged money-laundering links involving some condo owners, plus long-running legal and management disputes and tax-related accusations – issues often discussed as “elite capture” dynamics in already unequal settings.
Balmedie, Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland – Trump International Golf Links – A flagship controversy involving local residents who said they faced sustained pressure over land/property (including compulsory-purchase fears) and broader community conflict over who benefits from luxury resort development.
Doonbeg, Doughmore Bay, County Clare, Ireland – Trump Doonbeg golf resort – A long-running planning and environmental battle over proposed coastal defences, with opponents arguing the project threatened sensitive dunes/beach systems – an example of “private asset protection vs public/common land” conflict.
Craig Hill is a Brisbane-based author, journalist, teacher, business consultant and social justice campaigner. He is the General Manager of the Australian Book and Language Studio.
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