DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Trump Organization has announced a lease agreement for its brand with two new real estate ventures in Saudi Arabia, just weeks prior to Donald Trump taking office again as President.
The company will collaborate with Dar Global, a high-end real estate developer based in London, which will own and manage the properties in Riyadh while utilizing the Trump brand. This partnership follows previous collaborations in the region, notably including a golf resort project in Oman.
Eric Trump, the son of the president-elect who manages the real estate segment of the Trump Organization, expressed excitement about the new developments. He noted, “After the outstanding success of Trump International Oman and our recent projects in Dubai and Jeddah, we are excited to unveil two new initiatives in Riyadh.”
Before assuming the presidency in 2017, Trump’s company engaged in numerous international licensing agreements, which included ventures for hotels and residential projects in various countries such as Canada, Mexico, India, Turkey, and Dubai.
Trump’s connections with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have faced intense scrutiny, especially in light of the fallout from the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, known for his critical stance on the Saudi regime.
Additionally, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a former senior advisor, has come under fire from Democratic critics over a reported investment of $2 billion from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund into his investment firm, established after his tenure in the White House. Kushner played a crucial role as Trump’s liaison for Middle Eastern affairs and contributed to the negotiation of the Abraham Accords in 2020, which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE.
Dar Global serves as the international division of Dar Al Arkan, a major developer based in Saudi Arabia, and claims to have around $7.5 billion worth of development projects in multiple countries including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, the UK, Spain, and of course, Saudi Arabia.
