Protests in Albania against a planned luxury coastal resort backed by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his daughter Ivanka Trump are intensifying, with demonstrators disputing both the project’s environmental impact and the level of transparency around the deal. Multiple outlets report that opposition has grown in and around Tirana and at the Vjosa-Narta lagoon, described as an environmentally sensitive area and nature reserve on the Adriatic coast. Reporting also links the protest escalation to the start of visible works at the planned site, including the erection of barbed-wire topped fencing and the arrival of bulldozers in late May, which opponents say signals damage to wetlands.

Several sources cite the scale of the proposed development as around $1.6 billion and characterize the site as home to significant wildlife, including bird species such as flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans. Some outlets say thousands of people join demonstrations. Albanian officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, respond that experts will be involved and that concerns raised by protesters are overstated, while opponents continue to demand clearer approvals and stronger environmental safeguards. The dispute is described as both local and politically charged.