Eric Trump has a vision for Ireland that involves steel, glass, and a massive influx of cash, but he claims the reality on the ground is turning that dream into a bureaucratic nightmare. In a candid sit-down with the Irish Independent, the executive vice president of the Trump Organization laid out an ambitious wish list, including a potential Trump Tower in Dublin. But in the same breath, he didn’t pull any punches about why that hasn’t happened yet, admitting that Europe has become “the hardest place in the world” to get business done.
The Trump family has been a fixture in the Irish hospitality scene since 2014, when they snapped up a hotel and golf course in Doonbeg, County Clare. You might assume that a decade of operating in the region would pave the way for easy expansion, but Eric Trump suggests the opposite is true. He told the outlet he knows his opinion is going to land him in hot water.
“Listen, I’m going to say something controversial, and I’m probably going to get k—-d for it, but Europe hasn’t made it easy for people to invest,” Eric Trump said. “And it pains me to say this. I work all over the world, and Europe is by far the hardest place in the world that I have to work. They don’t like to say yes.”
Eric Trump: “We’re saving Christianity. We’ve saving God. We’ve saving the family unit. We’re saving this nation. I mean, DEI is out of the window…” @atruparpic.twitter.com/DEHopEBxOP
— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) January 21, 2026
He rattled off a laundry list of grievances that any developer would recognize, but amplified by the scale of the Trump brand: soaring taxes, energy costs that are through the roof, and endless committees.
Eric Trump gave a specific example of the gridlock, noting that even getting approval to move a house 20 feet can leave you stuck in limbo for six months. The way he sees it, that red tape is effectively putting a stopper on cash that local businesses and contractors could be spending right now.
Even with those roadblocks, though, he’s not ready to pack up. He insisted he would “love” to see a Trump Tower in Dublin, calling it his “dream.” He’s leaning hard on his friendship with golf star Rory McIlroy to help grease the wheels.
Donald Trump’s middle child, Eric Trump, recently said it was his “dream” to see a Trump Tower built in Dublin, while boasting that his family will “drive millions of dollars worth of economic value into Ireland.” https://t.co/kGUdie3r5J pic.twitter.com/8uWg8PnGJX
— Irish Star US (@IrishStarUS) January 26, 2026
Eric Trump credits their relationship as a major reason the 2026 Irish Open is heading to their Doonbeg property. He promised that the roads are being fixed up and that the event will drive massive economic value, insisting they will host “the best Irish Open that Ireland has ever seen.”
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. The Trumps have projects popping up from Jeddah to Dubai and all the way to Ho Chi Minh City. But while the red carpet seems to roll out in the Middle East and Asia, Europe puts up a fight. But the problem goes deeper than slow paperwork. In Europe, the vibe is different, and the welcome mat isn’t always out.
Just look at the mess in Serbia. Last November, locals in Belgrade didn’t just complain—they filled the streets to save a historic landmark that was in the path of a new Trump development. The pressure worked. By December, the firm tied to Jared Kushner pulled the plug, leaving Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić fuming that critics had just torched an $880 million investment.
JUST IN: Eric Trump is tired of the games that the banks continue to play.
pic.twitter.com/yllh4oPn7Q
— Money (@moneyandi86) January 22, 2026
That is the environment Eric Trump is staring down. For now, the Dublin tower remains an idea on paper. Eric believes the money is there, and he believes he has the friends—like McIlroy—to make it work. But until the regulatory grip loosens, he’s left waiting on committees, hoping the “dream” doesn’t get buried in paperwork.
