A Trump-branded $1.5 billion luxury golf resort in Hung Yen province, Vietnam, is experiencing significant delays and farmer unrest five months after its groundbreaking. The site, intended for The Trump Organization's first project in Vietnam, remains largely agricultural land as local farmers dispute the compensation offered for their land. The proposed compensation is approximately 320,000 dong ($12) per square meter, which many farmers state is equivalent to about one year's income from their agricultural land.
The project, commercially named Trump International Hung Yen, is a collaboration between The Trump Organization and Hung Yen Investment and Development Group Joint Stock Company, a subsidiary of Kinh Bac Urban Development Corporation (KBC). KBC paid $5 million for brand licensing rights. The comprehensive project spans 888 hectares and is expected to include a 54-hole golf course complex, five-star hotels, residential estates, a themed park, and social housing. Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, attended the groundbreaking ceremony in May 2025 and expressed expectations for the project's completion in over two years.
Despite the Vietnamese government, including Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, expediting approvals and pledging maximum support, a significant hurdle is the displacement of over 4,000 households. Farmers like Nguyen Thi Huong were offered as little as $3,200 for their land, far below the initial estimated compensation budget of over $500 million, which was subsequently reduced. Compensation notices are still being debated, and a government overhaul has further complicated land clearance. If disputes persist, the land seizure process could be prolonged, involving discussions up to 60 days. The Trump Organization is not involved in the investment or compensation payouts.
The swift approval of the project, including an additional 80 hectares of land allocated in June 2025, occurred amidst trade negotiations where Vietnam faced threatened U.S. import tariffs. This diplomatic context suggests a potential link between project approvals and efforts to appease the Trump administration on trade and intellectual property concerns. Local authorities in Hung Yen aim to finalize compensation plans by the end of the current month and achieve 95% land clearance by year-end, with a total of four trillion dong earmarked for compensation and resettlement. The resort's first phase is targeted for completion by late 2027, with the entire complex by 2029.
