A row of graves in a quiet farming community in northern Vietnam sits in the shadow of redevelopment.
White Xs painted on some headstones tell the story of an upheaval already in progress, marking tombs that have been removed before bulldozers roll in to make way for a sprawling luxury golf resort.
Backed by the Trump Organization, the resort promises manicured fairways, five-star hotels and wealthy visitors. But beneath the glossy vision lies a far different reality — the displacement of thousands of villagers, the loss of thousands of acres of farmland, and the erasure of sacred history.
For many residents of Chau Ninh commune in Hung Yen province, the project has become a bitter illustration of who bears the cost whenever massive U.S. investment arrives.
The Trump-branded resort, projected to cost $1.5 billion and cover roughly 2,446 acres, will displace some 4,000 households. Families are being offered compensation that falls far short of what they are losing, forcing them to choose between accepting inadequate payments or entering a court battle they simply can’t afford.
The controversy centers on the first Trump family business venture in Vietnam, a partnership involving Vietnamese developer Kinhbac City and the Trump Organization. Construction is expected to begin soon on land that currently supports fruit farms growing bananas, longan and other crops near Hanoi.
The development has already begun reshaping the landscape. According to reports from the Financial Times, graves are being dug up ahead of construction, with families removing the remains of parents, grandparents and other relatives whose resting places have peppered the region for decades.
“It’s painful,” 72-year-old Hoang Do told the Financial Times after receiving 70 million dong, about $2,660, to move the remains of his son and parents. “I’m outraged by the compensation price.”
For others, the issue goes beyond money.
“The grave of my great-grandparents has been there since 1967, before the establishment of this country [after the Vietnam War], so why should I move them?” said 50-year-old Hoang Anh Xa, who has five relatives buried in the cemetery slated for removal.
Xa said the project threatens not only family history but also economic survival.
“I won’t be able to find another job,” said Xa. “We do not oppose the policy of the Party and the government. We just ask for one thing only, the land price has to be [higher].”
The concerns extend throughout the farming community. Reuters has reported that some farmers were initially offered compensation rates as low as $12 for roughly 10 square feet of farmland. Authorities have since discussed compensation ranges of roughly $12 to $30 per square meter, along with payments for crops and temporary rice provisions.
Many villagers argue that those amounts are nowhere near enough to replace land that has supported families for years.
Vietnamese farmer Nguyen Thi Huong said she was offered the equivalent of about $3,200 plus rice provisions to surrender her farm.
“The whole village is worried about this project because it will take our land and leave us jobless,” said Huong.
Like many residents, Huong worries about what comes next. The area’s farming population skews older, and many fear they lack the skills or opportunities to transition into other work.
“What can someone like me do after that?” Huong asked after learning she could claim compensation only for a small assigned plot and certain crops.
Another farmer, Do Dinh Huong, said villagers have little leverage in the process.
“We have no right to negotiate. That’s a shame,” he said.
He added that he might have accepted the compensation if the land were being used for a public purpose.
“But this is a business project. I don’t know how that would contribute to people’s lives.”
Nguyen Thi Chuc, a 54-year-old banana farmer, voiced a similar concern.
“I’m getting old and can’t do anything else other than working on the farm,” she said.
Supporters of the project argue that the development could ultimately benefit the region by creating jobs and increasing property values. Some local business owners anticipate new opportunities tied to tourism and affluent visitors.
Le Van Tu, a 65-year-old resident who owns a small eatery near the future resort, said he plans to expand his business to serve higher-end customers. He also noted that land values have risen sharply since the project was announced.
“It won’t be stinky anymore,” Tu said of a nearby pig farm expected to disappear as part of the redevelopment.
The Trump Organization has touted the project as a landmark investment.
During a visit to Vietnam last year, Eric Trump described the planned resort in glowing terms, saying it would be “the envy of all of Asia and of the entire world,” according to MS NOW. A joint statement between the Trump Organization and Kinhbac City said the partners would focus on developing luxury hotels, championship golf courses and upscale residential estates.
Although the Trump Organization says it is not directly responsible for compensation payments to farmers, the family business is expected to operate the golf club once construction is complete. Financial disclosures have also shown that income generated by Trump’s business ventures ultimately accrues to President Donald Trump.
The dispute in Vietnam is unfolding as Trump faces criticism over another high-profile construction proposal tied to a site many Americans consider sacred. Three Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian have sued over plans for Trump’s massive triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
“The thought of being buried in the shadow of what they have described as a vainglorious arch is profoundly disrespectful,” attorney Wendy Liu told 9News.
One commenter on MS NOW noted, “None of his golf courses overseas are profitable but, they don’t need to be profitable for him to keep building or licensing new ones. The money is in branding, real‑estate development, and financial structures around the course — not the course itself …”
Another added: “This is reprehensible. But this is the same man who buried his first wife on a golf course, so his actions in this case were predictable. A flawed man driven by greed.”
