Miami judge rules Florida cannot transfer land to Trump foundation for site of presidential library

A legal battle is unfolding in Miami over the future of the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library, after an 85-year-old retired professor filed a lawsuit that temporarily halted the transfer of a prime piece of downtown real estate intended for the project.

According to The Daily Mail, Dr. Marvin Dunn, a progressive activist and retired psychology professor from Florida International University, launched the lawsuit claiming that Miami Dade College’s Board of Trustees violated Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law by failing to give proper public notice before a meeting took place in which the board voted to hand over a $66 million state-owned property to the Trump Foundation. The court sided with Dunn in an early ruling, granting a temporary injunction and signaling his case may succeed.

The property, a 2.63-acre parking lot next to Miami’s historic Freedom Tower, was approved by the state for transfer to the foundation overseeing Trump’s proposed library, led by Eric Trump and Michael Boulos, husband of Tiffany Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his cabinet had approved the plan, calling the site ideal for a major cultural and tourist landmark.

Trump has told donors he hopes to raise $2 billion for the project, making it the most expensive presidential library in U.S. history. It would house two terms’ worth of records, memorabilia, and even a former Air Force One aircraft.

Dr. Dunn, a self-described progressive Democrat, filed a 109-page lawsuit accusing Miami Dade College of “stealing land from students.” His complaint argues that the board’s early-morning meeting on September 23 was not properly announced, effectively denying the public the chance to weigh in on the high-profile transfer.

Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz agreed that the meeting notice was insufficient. “This is not a case rooted in politics,” she said. “The court does not believe that the notice was reasonable.” The ruling blocks the transfer while litigation continues, forcing Miami Dade College to either appeal or schedule a new, fully public vote.

Dr. Dunn has a long history of inflammatory remarks about Trump, comparing him to Adolf Hitler, calling him a “pig,” and mocking the planned library as being “about the size of a telephone booth since the only book it will need is Mein Kampf.”

In one social media post, he wrote, “This is my last warning Donald. Don’t make me have to come up there and kick your ass.” Lawyers for the college cited these comments in court, suggesting political motives behind the lawsuit, an accusation Dunn angrily rejected.

Polling suggests that local sentiment is against giving Trump the land. A Bendixen & Amandi poll found that 74 percent of Miami-Dade residents believe the college should have kept the plot, including 59 percent of Republicans.

Dunn’s lawsuit claims the true market value of the property could be as high as $360 million, far beyond its $66 million appraisal. “They’re taking land from our kids and giving it away for political purposes,” Dunn said.

Trump’s Miami project joins a long line of presidential libraries plagued by controversy. Barack Obama’s $850 million center in Chicago has faced years of delays and ballooning costs, while Joe Biden’s proposed library has yet to materialize amid donor reluctance.

The next court hearing will determine whether Miami Dade College must restart the approval process.