Vietnam farmers offered cents on the dollar for Trump backed golf-club
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Thousands of farmers in Vietnam’s Hung Yen province are being displaced with very low compensation for a Trump Organization-branded $1.5 billion golf resort.
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A farmer walks through a rice paddy in Hanoi in an undated photo. (AFP)
Thousands of farmers in northern Vietnam are facing eviction from their land to make way for a $1.5 billion luxury golf resort backed by the Trump family business, with many offered only modest cash payouts and rice provisions in return, Reuters reports.
Per the report, Nguyen Thi Huong, a 50-year-old farmer, said she was told to vacate her 200-square-metre plot in Hung Yen province for roughly $3,200 and several months’ worth of rice, far below what she considers fair. The land, currently used to grow bananas and longan fruit, has been her primary source of livelihood for decades.
"The whole village is worried about this project because it will take our land and leave us jobless," Huong told the news agency.
Local authorities have indicated payouts ranging between $12 and $30 per square metre, depending on location, with additional payments for uprooted crops. According to official documents, rice provisions for affected farmers could range from two to twelve months.
A local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said farmland rates in the area rarely exceed $14 per square metre, much lower than in other provinces. Farmers have no legal right to negotiate, as in Communist-run Vietnam, farmland is managed by the state and can be reclaimed at will.
"We have no right to negotiate. That’s a shame. I might accept a low rate for public infrastructure, but this is a business project. I don’t know how that would contribute to people’s life."
Trump organization’s first partnership in Vietnam
The Hung Yen project marks the Trump Organization’s first partnership in Vietnam. Developed by Vietnamese real estate firm Kinhbac City and its partners, the resort will be licensed to use the Trump brand for a reported $5 million. Once completed, the Trump family business will manage the club but will not directly fund the development or farmer compensation.
This venture comes as Vietnam strengthens trade ties with the United States, reflecting elements of soft power diplomacy. The project was fast-tracked for approval while the two nations worked on key trade agreements.
Supporters of the project, including some local investors, argue it will boost the Vietnamese economy, create jobs, and attract high-end tourism. Additionally, land prices in nearby villages have reportedly quintupled since the announcement, according to the report.
Le Van Tu, a 65-year-old eatery owner whose land is also being seized, plans to use this scheme to expand his business, saying that he will upgrade his diner to cater to a wealthier clientele
Tu told Reuters that land prices in the village have increased fivefold since the golf club's announcement in October. He relayed his excitement to the news agency about a nearby pig farm being gone, saying, "It won’t be stinky anymore." However, for elderly farmers like Nguyen Thi Chuc, the loss of agricultural land signals an uncertain future: "I’m getting old and can’t do anything else other than working on the farm."
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has promised fair compensation, but many displaced farmers remain skeptical. While the project may align with Vietnam’s economic growth ambitions and its engagement with the United States, critics say it highlights the human cost of rapid development.
