This was the plan:

And this is the reality:

A few weeks ago, I reported on the latest undertaking of Trump son-in-law, real estate mogul, and diplomat-come-lately Jared Kushner: a proposed $500 million, five-star Trump hotel/apartment/museum complex in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. In and of itself, it sounds like just another bigger-than-life, money-making Trump family tribute to themselves . . . until you look at the fine print.

To begin with, this project would require tearing down the historic, bombed-out General Staff building dating back to Serbia’s conflict with Kosovo . . . a proposal vehemently opposed by the people of Serbia who suffered greatly in that war and consider the site to be hallowed ground.

Of course, the Trumps aren’t known for their sentimentality or empathy. What they are known for, however, is their willingness to do anything for another billion dollars — including shady deals with dictators, tyrants and crooks.

Which brings us to Serbia’s current president, Aleksandar Vucic: an autocrat whose national oil company is under U.S. sanctions due to its majority stake being owned by Russia’s Gazprom and Gazprom Neft. Despite his well-known friendship with Vladimir Putin, Vucic has been making overtures to the Trump administration in hopes of gaining relief from those sanctions, and has been trying to push through legislation that would remove the designation of the property in question as a cultural heritage site.

In fact, that designation had already been removed by Serbian Culture Minister Nikola Selakovic — who has now been indicted by Serbia’s own Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime. And just hours after news broke of the indictment, Jared Kushner’s investment company, Affinity Partners, issued a statement saying that the proposal had been withdrawn:

“Our vision for the Belgrade project was to offer an elegant, uplifting design that honored Serbia’s progress. We are proud of the architecture our team created. Because meaningful projects should unite rather than divide, and out of respect for the people of Serbia and the City of Belgrade, we are withdrawing our application and stepping aside at this time.” [Nevena Bogdanovic and RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, December 16, 2025.]

I’m sorry . . . I just can’t get past that “meaningful projects should unite rather than divide” comment. I wonder if his father-in-law wrote that for him while he was tearing down the East Wing of the White House.

But to continue . . .

As for Vucic, he has gone swiftly into damage control mode, announcing that he will “personally file criminal charges [against] all those who participated in the witch hunt and the destruction of the investment,” accusing them of the “economic sabotage of Serbia.” [Id.]

And, in what sounds like a classic Trumpian sulk, he added:

“We will now be left with a destroyed building, and it is only a matter of time before bricks and other parts start falling off it, because no one will ever touch it again.” [Id.]

And finally:

“There was never any corruption, nor was that ever the intention.” [Id.]

No, of course not. Which is why, instead of, say, restoring the remaining structure and repurposing it as a school, a library, or a hospital for the benefit of the people, he plans to go after the Prosecutor’s Office for “the destruction of the investment.”

Not the building . . . the investment.

Because, as he has learned from his idols Putin and Trump, it’s all about the money.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
12/17/25