President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the 2026 G20 summit will be held at his Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida, reigniting debates over mixing personal business with presidential duties. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump touted the resort’s proximity to Miami International Airport and its scenic appeal as reasons for the choice, while insisting the event would not generate personal profit.
“It’s going to be at Doral,” Trump declared to reporters. “Everybody wants it there because it’s right next to the airport, it’s the best location, it’s beautiful, a beautiful everything.” The summit, scheduled for December 14-15, 2026, will coincide with Florida’s peak hotel season, a factor Trump noted, saying, “You can’t get a room in Florida in December.” He added that each of the G20 member countries would have its own dedicated building on the sprawling resort property, which includes four golf courses, a 48,000-square-foot spa, and a 24,000-square-foot ballroom.
Trump emphasized that the event would be hosted “at-cost,” with no profit for his resort from the State Department or foreign governments. “We will not make any money on it. I just want it to go well,” he said, addressing concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The White House echoed this, stating that Trump Doral would receive no financial gain from the summit.
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This isn’t the first time Trump has eyed Doral for a major international summit. During his first term, he proposed hosting the 2020 G7 summit at the same resort but backed down after bipartisan backlash and accusations of corruption, with critics arguing it was an attempt to funnel public funds into his business. Trump attributed the reversal to “media and Democrat crazed and irrational hostility,” and the G7 was ultimately held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision to host the G20 at Doral has already drawn scrutiny, given Trump’s history of blending his business interests with his presidency. In 2019, similar plans for the G7 sparked outrage, with Democrats calling it one of the “most brazen examples” of presidential corruption. Despite these concerns, Trump’s legal exemptions as president shield him from conflict-of-interest regulations that apply to other government officials.
Trump also made headlines with his openness to inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to the 2026 summit, despite geopolitical tensions, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “I would love them to, if they want to,” Trump said, curiously suggesting they could attend as “observers,” even though both Russia and China are full G20 members.
Meanwhile, Trump confirmed he would skip this year’s G20 summit in South Africa, citing controversial claims about the treatment of white farmers in the country. Instead, he will send Vice President JD Vance. “I won’t be going, JD will be going. Great vice president, and he looks forward to it,” Trump said.
The 2026 G20 summit, marking the first time the US hosts the event in nearly two decades, will be coordinated by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent overseeing the agenda. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, present at the announcement, hailed the decision as a boost for the city’s global profile.
As preparations begin, the choice of Doral underscores Trump’s penchant for leveraging his properties for high-profile events, raising questions about ethics while promising an economic windfall for Miami.
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