Miami– The governor of Florida, Ron Desantis, announced on Tuesday that he will propose the assignment of a state land in the center of Miami for the construction of the Donald J. Trump presidential library.
The proposal, which will formally be presented on September 30 before the Florida cabinet, designates a plot currently used as a parking lot on the Miami Dade College (MDC) campus, strategically located next to the iconic Torre de la Libertad.
According to Desantis, this action seeks to consolidate the “Florida Free State” as the host of the documentary and political legacy of President Trump, in a gesture that underlines the political alignment between both leaders.
High symbolic value
The choice of the site is not accidental. The plot is adjacent to the Torre de la Libertad, which turns 100, a national historical monument known as the “Ellis del Sur Island”.
Between 1962 and 1974, this building worked as the Cuban Assistance Center, where the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing from the Cuban regime was processed.
La Torre, donated to Miami Dade College in 2005 by Pedro Martin’s family, represents a lighthouse of hope and freedom for the Cuban American community, a key electorate in southern Florida.
Political support and legal framework
The initiative has the explicit support of key figures of the state government.
Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier confirmed on his social networks that the state cabinet will vote for the proposal and thanked the leadership of Desantis and the president of MDC, Madeline Pumariega, the first woman to direct the institution.
The way for this library was raided in June 2025, when Desantis signed Law SB 118. This legislation, promoted by Senator Jason Brodeur, prevents local governments from imposing restrictions on presidential libraries and grants the State the exclusive authority to regulate its establishment and operation.
Initial funds
The future library already has a solid financial base, from two significant judicial agreements. In December 2024, an agreement for defamation with ABC News resulted in a payment of 15 million dollars to a foundation linked to the project.
Subsequently, in January of this year an extrajudicial agreement with Meta (Facebook and Instagram) for the suspension of Trump’s accounts added another 22 million dollars specifically destined to the construction and maintenance of the institution.
State competition for headquarters
Before the option of Miami Dade College took the lead, other prestigious educational institutions in Florida competed for hosting the project.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Mouse and Florida International University (FIU) were seriously considered, given its proximity to the residences and businesses of President Trump, such as Mar-A-Lago and the Trump National Doral resort.
The approval of the proposal would turn Trump’s into the first presidential library in Florida, with the potential to generate an important economic development for the region.
