Vučić allegedly intervened to withdraw the protection of a monument in Belgrade, intended for the $500 million "Trump Tower" real estate project

Riana Gegiu

16 October 2026, 10:49

International

Foto: Facebook/ Aleksandar Vučić

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Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić allegedly intervened directly in February 2024 to ensure that the former General Staff headquarters in central Belgrade lost its protected-monument status. According to a Guardian investigation, the site was to be used for a real estate project estimated at $500 million, associated with Jared Kushner’s company, Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Vučić allegedly convened a meeting with officials responsible for heritage protection and asked them to initiate the procedure to withdraw the building’s legal status. The building was damaged in the 1999 NATO bombings. Two senior officials, Dubravka Đukanović and Olivera Vučković, refused, considering that there were insufficient legal grounds, and subsequently resigned.

Prosecutors are investigating the falsification of a favorable opinion and possible acts of abuse of office. Culture Minister Nikola Selaković has been indicted, while Vučić and Finance Minister Siniša Mali have not been charged and deny the allegations. However, the prosecutor’s office is also examining the role of other individuals.

Kushner’s company abandoned the project in December 2025, after officials were charged. The revelations come ahead of the parliamentary elections on October 25, in which Vučić is running for prime minister.

Context: Investigations and controversies related to real estate projects and transactions associated with the Trump family

Before the allegations in Serbia, several pieces of information emerged in the public sphere about the involvement of companies associated with Donald Trump’s family in controversial projects. Jared Kushner, the U.S. president’s son-in-law, was mentioned in connection with a luxury hotel project in Albania, which sparked protests and criticism over its impact on a protected area.

At the same time, there were reports about discussions and economic transactions involving envoys of the Trump administration and names associated with the Kushner family. In such a context, a possible sale of Lukoil assets was mentioned, with potential links to Romania as well, while investigations raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.