Secret Plot to Gift $360 MILLION Trump Library Land Blocked by Judge
The high-stakes plan to build the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library on a spectacular piece of Miami real estate has just hit a concrete wall.
In a stunning victory for an 85-year-old retired professor and civil rights warrior, a Florida judge has temporarily frozen the controversial land transfer, exposing a fierce legal and political showdown gripping the Sunshine State. This explosive court order immediately derails the former President's legacy project, leaving the fate of one of Miami's most valuable public properties hanging in the balance today.
At the heart of this stunning development is a $360 million question:
Did state officials and the college board orchestrate a secret deal to hand over a priceless public asset to the Trump family's foundation, deliberately sidestepping Florida's cherished Government in the Sunshine Law?
The Showdown: Activist vs. Establishment over a $360 Million Plot
The entire drama centers on a highly coveted 2.63-acre downtown waterfront lot, currently an employee parking lot for Miami Dade College (MDC) and situated right next to the historic Freedom Tower. While the County Appraiser valued this site at over $66 million, real estate experts have placed its true market value as high as a staggering $360 million, given its pristine Biscayne Boulevard location.
In a move that sparked immediate outrage across Miami-Dade County, the MDC Board of Trustees held a special, early morning meeting and voted to gift the land for free to the State of Florida, which would then transfer it to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation. The only public notice for this monumental decision was a vague agenda mentioning only “potential real estate transactions.”
This political steamroller, strongly supported by Governor Ron DeSantis, was abruptly halted by one man: Dr. Marvin Dunn, a retired Florida International University professor and veteran of the civil rights movement.
Dr. Marvin Dunn, retired professor and civil rights historian, addresses supporters during a community meeting in Miami as he discusses his legal challenge against the proposed Donald J. Trump Presidential Library site.
The Professor, a ‘Hitler’ Tweet, and the Legal Counterpunch
Dr. Dunn wasted no time, immediately filing a scorching 109-page lawsuit that alleges the rushed September 23 vote was an unconstitutional act and a clear breach of Florida's transparency laws. He claims the decision was made "without any serious deliberation, without any economic analysis," and solely because high-ranking political figures demanded it, keeping the public intentionally in the dark.
Adding explosive drama to the courtroom fight are Dr. Dunn's highly inflammatory social media posts, where he accused Donald Trump of using “the power of the state to prosecute his political enemies,” comparing him directly to Adolf Hitler. In court, college lawyers cited one post where the professor wrote, “Don’t make me have to come up there and kick your ass,” suggesting it was a threat to the former President.
However, Dr. Dunn fiercely denied the malicious accusation in a heated exchange, declaring, “Of course not. That’s ridiculous. I respect the law. How dare you suggest that of me?” Crucially, Judge Mavel Ruiz of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit dismissed the entire political theater, firmly stating her October 14 ruling was “not rooted in politics” and was solely about whether the public was given reasonable notice of the massive deal.
JUDGE BLOCKS DEAL: The Law Punishes a Rushed Giveaway
Judge Ruiz delivered a powerful, decisive blow to the Trump project just days ago, temporarily blocking the land transfer. She explicitly ruled that the college’s vague public notice was “inadequate,” effectively agreeing with Dr. Dunn that the powerful public board had violated the state’s “sacrosanct” Government in the Sunshine Law.
- The Immediate Cost of Secrecy: The college’s general counsel was forced to testify that the delay caused by the injunction could cost Miami Dade College up to $300,000, underscoring the immediate financial consequences of the controversial, rushed deal.
- Mass Public Opposition: The lawsuit gains significant strength from a recent Bendixen & Amandi poll that found a staggering 74% of Miami-Dade residents opposed giving the public land away for free, with even a majority of Republicans agreeing the college should have retained the property.
Attorneys for Dr. Dunn argued that the public has an absolute right to know about a transaction “so significant, so unusual and deprives the students and the college of this land.” The judge's ruling sends a clear message that politically sensitive deals involving public land cannot be shielded from scrutiny.
THE LEGAL THREAT: Nullifying Trump’s Library Land Grab
This lawsuit isn't just a political headache; it's a massive legal precedent that tests the fundamental strength of Florida’s transparency laws, considered among the toughest in the nation.
The core of the legal argument is Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law, which mandates that all official actions of public boards must be taken in the light of public view, with proper notice. The law holds that failure to provide adequate public notice can immediately void any government action, a standard the Florida Supreme Court has consistently upheld.
The suit also raises the critical question of fiduciary duty: Did the trustees of Miami Dade College—a public institution—act in the best financial interests of students and taxpayers when they voted to give away property potentially worth $360 million for nothing?
If the court ultimately determines the Sunshine Law was violated, the land deal will be nullified, forcing the State of Florida and the Trump Foundation to restart negotiations from square one. For now, this incredibly valuable piece of prime Miami real estate remains blocked, held hostage by a battle over transparency, political influence, and a history professor determined to defend the public’s right to know.
