Miami Residents Sue Over Trump’s Plan to Make His Library a Hotel
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal lawsuit filed in Miami alleges that Florida violated the Constitution by donating a valuable downtown Miami property for President Trump's presidential library, which is expected to include for-profit businesses.
- The suit claims that Trump, his library foundation, Governor Ron DeSantis's administration, and other Florida officials violated the domestic emoluments clause, which bars the president from accepting money or gifts from states.
- Unlike typical nonprofit presidential libraries, Trump has indicated his library will likely feature a hotel, with video renderings showing a gilded skyscraper, raising concerns about personal financial gain.
- The property was transferred from Miami Dade College to a state trust and then to Trump's nonprofit foundation in a multistage deal last year, prompting criticism that Trump intends to monetize the land.
- Plaintiffs include local residents, a Miami Dade College student, and a historian who previously sought to use the property for urban farming, highlighting community opposition to the transaction.