Ivanka Trump has received clear feedback on her latest grift: Albania is not for sale.
President Trump’s daughter appeared on David Senra’s podcast on Monday, where she talked about her plans for a luxury resort on Sazan Island, a 2.2-square-mile outcrop off the coast of Albania.
It belongs to the country and has been untouched by development so far. Now, she and her husband, Jared Kushner, are paving the way for a new hub for ultra-luxury tourism through his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, after receiving preliminary approval from Albania in 2024.
Both Trump and Kushner—who also works as his father-in-law’s peace envoy—have waxed lyrical about the $1.4 billion project.
In her podcast appearance, Ivanka Trump, 44, said, “We developed the opportunity to help realize its potential and transform it, but with a lot of restraint and care because the land is so beautiful.”
They said they happened upon it by accident, adding, “We were on a friend’s boat, and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that’s how we found it. We swam to the islands. We went on a hike, barefoot all the way, up to the top. And we were just captivated.”
Her comments sparked a furious response from Albanians, and the Trump-Kushner plan has now also prompted a reaction from Albanian authorities. According to Politico, the country’s anti-corruption prosecutors from a specialist task force called SPAK have launched an investigation into changes that were made to the island’s conservation and protected status in 2024.
Those changes laid the groundwork for developing it for tourism.
Protests against the project have been ongoing since late May, and Ivanka Trump’s interview seemed to only fan the flames on social media.
With over 1,100 likes, one post said, “Albania is not for sale! 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱. Another: “Out of Albania..🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱.” One after that: “Albania is not for sale!🇦🇱.” The next: “Albania is not for SALE 🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱." Again: “Albania is not for sale!!! 🇦🇱🦅”
The messaging went on. “Hands off Albanian soil 🦩🌳🇦🇱” “Sazan is not a private island, it belongs to the Albanian people🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱🇦🇱,” another.
The Guardian reported in 2024 that locals had taken to calling it “Ishulli i Trumpëve,” or Trump Island.
It was once home to a military base as part of its Cold War-era leader Enver Hoxha’s paranoid defenses against invasions from either NATO or the Soviet Union. One never came, but the scars of that time can still be seen around the island. As of 2024, there were 3,600 bunkers on Sazan, and it’s littered with unexploded ordnance.
The uninhabited paradise sits just north of the Strait of Otranto, which divides the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. It is a treasure trove of natural beauty, its wetlands home to seals and flamingos.
The couple visited in early 2026, less than two years after Kushner’s 2024 announcement about his ambition to transform the oasis of wildlife and natural beauty into one of tourism and luxury.
On the Lex Fridman podcast in July 2024, Trump overflowed with excitement about developing it. “I’m working with my husband, we have this 1,400-acre island in the Mediterranean, and we’re bringing in the best architects and the best brands,” she said.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told The Guardian in 2024 that his country “can’t afford not to exploit a gift like Sazan,” adding, “We need luxury tourism like a desert needs water.”
On Monday, he told members of parliament that the plans would not encroach on the island’s protected areas.
The same day, he released a statement on Facebook, saying that the project is part of an “ambition to create the most attractive destination of this side of the Mediterranean.”
But it hasn’t stopped protests from erupting in the capital, Tirana, against the development. They’ve also broken out across the water from the island on the Zvernec peninsula. Some have become unruly and in some incidents, violent, The New York Times reports.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to create a world-class destination and make one of the largest private investments in the region’s history,” said Asher Abehsera, the chairman of the project’s developer.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Trump Organization and Affinity Partners for comment.
