A group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida, alleging that nearly three acres of prime waterfront land were illegally transferred to the president for his personal gain. The land, once owned by Miami Dade College (MDC), was gifted by Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit, brought in US district court by the Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) on behalf of an MDC student, a non-profit and residents, cites the domestic emoluments clause of the US constitution. This clause prohibits a sitting president from receiving any personal profit or advantage from their position. The plaintiffs argue that the land “is no longer available to serve MDC’s student community and downtown Miami” and will instead be used for a Trump hotel.
Plans unveiled in March show a 50-storey tower block featuring a giant golden statue of the president and a lobby housing a $400m Boeing jumbo jet gifted by Qatar. Trump has said the building is “most likely going to be a hotel”. The lawsuit claims the land is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The CAC stated that Florida required the conveyed land to include only “components of a Presidential library, museum, and/or centre”, leaving the door open for the president to develop it as he sees fit. The library has already faced a previous lawsuit over the initial transfer, which was conducted during an unadvertised meeting. The board later held a second vote and unanimously approved the transfer.
