It all revolves around a real estate deal on former military land in the Serbian capital Belgrade. Jared Kushner's company Affinity Partners wants to build a luxury hotel and apartment complex on the site of the former Yugoslav army headquarters.
The building was bombed by NATO forces in 1999 and has been destroyed since then. But the site has symbolic value for many and is seen as a historical monument, according to the BBC .
Last year, the Serbian government decided to strip the building of its protected status and signed a 99-year lease with Kushner's company. On Friday, parliament also voted to begin clearing the site.
The decisions have sparked protests. An investigation has been launched based on suspicions of the use of falsified documentation in the process of changing the building's status.
Despite protests and legal challenges, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, with close ties to Trump, has supported the project, claiming it is “incredibly important for the country.”
It is important to overcome the burden from 1999. We are ready to build better relations with the United States, he told the BBC earlier this year.
Opposition politicians see the construction as a violation of the country's constitution and oppose the replacement of a historical landmark with "jacuzzis and casinos."
They also accuse the government of sacrificing the country's history "to please Trump."
