Two of US President Donald Trump's sons ceremonially opened a Trump-branded golf club in Dubai today, meeting privately with Emirati elites as questions remain about how separated their father is from the empire bearing his name.
Two of US President Donald Trump's sons ceremonially opened a Trump-branded golf club in Dubai today, meeting privately with Emirati elites as questions remain about how separated their father is from the empire bearing his name.
Eric and Donald Trump Jr, who now lead the Trump Organization, watched as fireworks lit the sky over the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai, on the outskirts of the city-state home to the world's tallest building and other architectural marvels.
The course's opening comes after Donald Trump tried for years to enter the Arab market as a real estate mogul who later earned millions licensing his name to projects.
The course's opening now, as well as long-standing plans to open a second Trump-branded course in Dubai, could raise security and ethical issues for America's 45th president going forward.
Though bars at the club eventually will serve alcohol, only soft drinks were dispensed at the windy gala Saturday night.
Billionaire Hussain Sajwani's DAMAC Properties partnered with the Trump Organization to build the golf course at the heart of a development of villas and apartment blocks called DAMAC Hills. Among them are some 100 Trump-branded villas selling from 5 million dirhams (USD 1.3 million) to over 15 million dirhams (USD 4 million).
A string octet played classical music on the edge of the course designed by American golf architect Gil Hanse.
A pro shop inside the clubhouse sold Trump International Golf Club baseball caps for 150 dirhams (USD 40) and Trump-branded golf balls for (USD 5.50). Absent were the red "Make America Great Again" caps made famous by Trump's campaign.
Both sons gave brief remarks at the opening, neither touching on their father's new job. Donald Jr instead applauded Dubai's hereditary ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
"It's truly awe inspiring," he said. "In Dubai, if you can envision it, you can build it."
Earlier today, Eric and Donald Jr attended a private luncheon at Sajwani's mansion on Dubai's man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago, speaking underneath an ornamental clock whose face spelled "SAJWANI VILLA."
"It's rare in the world where you can be such great friends with a partner and that's what we have right here," Eric Trump said. "Hussain, he is an amazing person and DAMAC is an amazing company."
The two Trump brothers met with the over 80 people gathered at the event, attendee Niraj Masand told The Associated Press.
They were "expressing their gratitude to Mr. Sajwani, who is the chairman of DAMAC, and sort of expressing their happiness to meet with all the partners," said Masand, a director of the real estate firm Banke International.
CHT
02182324
NNNN
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}