Donald Trump Jr. Mixes Business and Politics in Serbia, as Protests There Rage

The Serbian protests against President Aleksandar Vucic were gaining momentum when an unexpected visitor, Donald Trump Jr., arrived in the capital to meet with the embattled leader. The purpose of the visit was to discuss U.S. foreign aid to Serbia and the development of a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade, the first in Europe. The hotel project, planned to be built on the site of the former Yugoslavian Ministry of Defense headquarters, has faced opposition and calls for termination by Serbian opposition leaders.

During the visit, Mr. Trump expressed his support for Mr. Vucic, marking a clear connection between U.S. foreign policy and the Trump family’s business interests.

Following Mr. Trump’s visit, the Serbian Parliament accepted the resignation of its prime minister, leading to political uncertainty in the country. Despite concerns about conflicts of interest, a spokesman for Donald Trump Jr. emphasized that the visit was primarily for a podcast interview with Mr. Vucic and not related to foreign relations or real estate deals.

The visit was arranged by Brad Parscale, a former campaign manager for President Trump, who has been involved in political consulting in Serbia but was not hired by Mr. Vucic for his re-election campaign.

Mr. Vucic is facing significant challenges as protests against his government continue to grow. The visit by Donald Trump Jr. briefly diverted attention from the unrest but stirred controversy in Serbia. While Mr. Vucic and his advisers viewed the visit as a sign of U.S. support, opposition leaders criticized it as a conflict of interest given the Trump family’s real estate deal in the country.