WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that the 2026 G20 Summit will be held at his Trump National Doral golf resort near Miami, a decision likely to reignite concerns over whether he is profiting from public office.
“I think Doral will be the best location,” Trump said in the Oval Office, confirming that the property will host the high-profile gathering of global leaders.
The G20 includes 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union, rotating the responsibility of hosting the event. A final date for the 2026 summit has not yet been set.
By selecting his own Miami-area resort expected to generate millions in hotel, dining, and event revenue, Trump has invited renewed scrutiny of conflicts of interest. A White House official said that world leaders and their delegations would be billed “at cost” for services, while aides stressed that Trump’s assets are managed by a third party, rejecting any suggestion of constitutional violations.
Vice President JD Vance will represent the U.S. at this year’s G20 summit in South Africa, which Trump is skipping after signaling friction with Pretoria over its land and Israel policies.
This is not the first time Trump has attempted to bring a major international summit to Doral. During his first term, he floated hosting the 2020 Group of Seven meeting there, but abandoned the plan amid bipartisan backlash and warnings from ethics experts.
Trump, a billionaire real estate developer, has consistently blurred the lines between his political role and his personal business interests. Since returning to office in January, he has expanded his portfolio into meme coins, crypto tokens, and licensing ventures such as Trump-branded bibles, sneakers, and watches—assets that have added hundreds of millions to his reported net worth.
His properties, including Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, the Doral golf resort, and clubs from New Jersey to Scotland, have frequently served as venues for meetings with world leaders, corporate executives, and political allies.
The Doral property, which Trump purchased in 2012, features a clubhouse, restaurants, spa, pools, four golf courses, and 100,000 square feet of event space—including the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom.
The State Department had originally invited U.S. cities to bid for the 2026 G20 Summit back in January, estimating the event would take place in October. It remains unclear whether Miami or Doral were part of the initial bidding process.
Uncertainty also surrounds who will attend Trump’s 2026 summit. The G20 includes China and Russia, whose leader Vladimir Putin faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes tied to the Ukraine conflict.
Trump’s choice of venue underscores both his confidence in leveraging personal properties for global diplomacy and the enduring questions over ethics, transparency, and the intersection of business and politics in his presidency.
—Trevor Hunnicutt
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