Miami residents sue to block Trump library on donated land

The new lawsuit over Donald Trump’s proposed presidential library in Miami rests on a basic constitutional claim: the president cannot take money or gifts from states, and the plaintiffs say Florida’s role in handing over valuable public land fits that prohibition. Two Miami residents filed the case on Wednesday, naming Trump, his library foundation, Gov. Ron DeSantis, members of the Florida Cabinet and Miami Dade College, and arguing that the deal amounts to a state-supported benefit with private value.

At issue is a 2.63-acre waterfront parcel in downtown Miami, now used as an employee parking lot for Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus. The site sits beside the Freedom Tower and across from the Kaseya Center, in a stretch of the city loaded with political and historical meaning. The Miami-Dade County property appraiser has valued the land at about $67 million, while some real estate experts have said the bayfront location could push its value as high as $300 million. The plaintiffs include two nearby residents who say a high-rise would worsen neighborhood views and living conditions, along with Dunn’s Overtown Farm, which wanted the land for an urban farm, and a student involved in urban farming and nonprofit management.

The complaint also points to Trump’s own comments as evidence that the project would not function as a pure memorial. It says he described the site as a possible hotel with “a beautiful building underneath” and a 747 Air Force One in the lobby, language the plaintiffs say shows an intent to monetize the property for personal profit. That argument pushes the case beyond a routine zoning dispute and into the question of whether public land can be converted into a private asset for a sitting president’s benefit.

The land transfer has moved through state institutions in stages. Miami Dade College’s board voted unanimously and quietly on Sept. 23, 2025, to donate the property to the state. That same day, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly said the land would be used for a presidential library. A week later, on Sept. 30, 2025, DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet unanimously approved transferring the land to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, which was formed in Florida in May 2025 and lists Eric Trump, Michael Boulos and attorney James Kiley as trustees. DeSantis also signed legislation in June 2025 giving the state broad regulatory authority over presidential libraries.

The lawsuit is the second challenge tied to the project. A separate case brought by Miami historian Marvin Dunn says Miami Dade College violated Florida’s Sunshine Law by failing to provide enough public notice before the Sept. 23 special meeting. That case produced a temporary injunction at one point, and a judge later set an Aug. 3, 2026, trial date. Miami Dade College has said it values public engagement and defended the integrity of its vote, while Dunn said the college was trying to “rubber stamp” the deal.