Judge Blocks Transfer of Land for Trump’s Presidential Library
A judge in Florida has put a temporary halt to the planned transfer of land for President Donald Trump’s future presidential library. The decision comes after a lawsuit was filed by a local historian and activist, who once ran for Congress as a Democrat.
Circuit Judge Marvell Lewis issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, stating that the board of trustees at Miami Dade College did not provide adequate public notice before deciding to transfer a valuable downtown Miami site to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
Lewis emphasized that her ruling focused on procedural issues rather than political ones. “This is not an easy decision,” she mentioned, acknowledging the college’s failure to adequately inform the public prior to last month’s vote.
Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet had voted to donate 2.63 acres of land on Biscayne Boulevard for the library. This site currently serves as a parking lot for Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and is next to the historic Freedom Tower, which was instrumental for many Cubans fleeing communism in the 1960s and 1970s.
Marvin Dunn, the historian behind the lawsuit, argues that using public educational resources for private political initiatives goes against Florida law and breaches the public trust. His complaint points out that Miami Dade College should not be responsible for managing a project that serves as a “personal monument” for a former president.
Dunn filed to run for a state House seat in 2018 but withdrew before the primary. His motivations, he later explained, included Trump’s inadequate response to the deaths of American soldiers in Niger that same year and his concerns over the state of civility in the U.S. under Trump’s administration. He had led a protest against the land transfer last month.
The lawsuit claims the process lacked sufficient public engagement and might infringe upon Florida’s Sunshine Law, which mandates transparency in public meetings.
In defense, the attorney for Miami Dade College, Jesús Suárez, asserted that the college complied with legal requirements and questioned the motives behind Dunn’s lawsuit. According to him, the law does not necessitate specific notice, allowing trustees considerable discretion in their discussions.
The agenda for the board’s meeting on September 23 only included a brief mention of discussing asset transfers to a state trust fund managed by DeSantis and his Cabinet, without detailing what was being considered. Unlike previous meetings this year, this early session was not streamed online.
After this meeting, DeSantis and other Republican leaders once again voted to move forward, ultimately granting control of the Miami site to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation, an entity closely linked to Trump’s family.
Eric Trump has previously expressed ambitions for the library, calling it “one of the most beautiful buildings ever built.” He claimed it would be distinct from the Obama Presidential Center, which is still under construction in Chicago.
Surrounded by luxury condos, the Miami site offers waterfront views and faces the Caseya Center, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat, as well as the Dodge Island cruise terminal. While the property was initially valued over $66 million, some reports suggest it could sell for at least $360 million.
