Trump presidential library proposed for downtown Miami site
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A parking lot south of the Freedom Tower is proposed for a presidential library for President Donald Trump. Photo: Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images
Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing to transfer land in downtown Miami for the construction of the future Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.
Why it matters: DeSantis' announcement on Tuesday ended months of speculation over which South Florida property would be selected for the state's first presidential library.
Catch up quick: The 2.6-acre site south of the Freedom Tower, which is owned by Miami Dade College, is one of three state college properties that were reportedly under consideration for the library.
- The other two were Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, with FAU viewed as the favorite to land the library.
Driving the news: Miami Dade College's Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to transfer the property — currently used for employee parking — to the state, the Miami Herald reported.
- DeSantis, who appointed a majority of the MDC trustees, announced his proposal the same day.
What's next: DeSantis and his Cabinet will vote on the proposal Sept. 30 as members of the state's Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
- Three members of the four-person board have already said they would vote in favor.
- In a press release, the governor's office says the presidential library would provide "economic development opportunities across South Florida" and allow the public to honor the president's "service and legacy."
The intrigue: Building the library next door to the Freedom Tower — known as the Ellis Island of the South — highlights the complicated politics in Miami's immigrant communities.
- Cuban-Americans in Florida voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the 2024 election, but some have expressed concerns over his immigration crackdown, as NBC News reported.
- In June, the Trump administration ended a 2022 parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
- The Freedom Tower helped hundreds of thousands of Cubans seeking asylum in the U.S. from 1962 to 1974, per the national landmark's website.
The other side: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filmed a promo video outside the Freedom Tower, highlighting its history to support the construction of the library.
- "Back in the 1950s, Cuban families arrived here fleeing the terrors of communism," he says. "This location serves as a symbol of freedom, a beacon of liberty for the rest of the country."
- "I can think of no better location to tell the story of Donald Trump."
What we're watching: For details about how the library would be funded.
- The National Archives and Records Administration, which operates presidential libraries, says on its website that libraries are built with private or "non-Federal funds" donated to non-profits established by the former president.
- "Some Libraries have also received construction and development funding from state and/or local governments or university partners."