The Trump organization has shown interest in starting a hotel business in Israel, according to documents cited by the New York Times.
These documents revealed a potential deal to turn a former site of Israel’s Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem and a skyscraper in Tel Aviv into branded luxury hotels, the NYT mentioned.
Eric Trump, the organization's vice president and the second son of the former president, visited Israel last year to discuss these plans but said in an interview that the discussions had been put on hold because of the events of October 7 and the ongoing war.
“The deal absolutely would have gotten done if not for Oct. 7,” he said, as quoted by the NYT.
However, once the war ends, Eric Trump mentioned that the organization would be keen on finalizing the deal with Israel.
If the agreements were finalized, according to Eric Trump, Nitsba would retain ownership of the properties, while the Trump Organization would manage the hotels and license the Trump name, similar to their approach in other locations. However, the method by which the Florida-based Lockwood Development Partners intended to fund the projects remains uncertain, NYT said.
Gil Eshel, a commercial real estate broker from Tel Aviv who played a key role in facilitating negotiations, mentioned that the Trumps were looking to start in Jerusalem before considering expansion to Tel Aviv.
Support for Israel
Throughout his presidency and within his 2024 election campaign, former president Donald Trump has openly shown his support for Israel. During his four years in office, he has made several policy decisions regarding Israel, including the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
Since October 7, the Trump campaign has been active in supporting Israel and holding events regarding fighting antisemitism.
"We demand that all hostages taken October 7 from Israel, and being held in Gaza, be released immediately, so that the war can come to an end," Trump had said, following the release of an October 7 documentary released in the summer.