Donald Trump Jr. meets in Gibraltar with North Mole megadata centre developer and lawyer Jaime Levy

Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of the U.S. president, spent more than three hours in Gibraltar on Friday in a working lunch with two of the most influential figures in the territory’s business sector: lawyer Jaime Levy, senior partner at the law firm Hassans and a close friend of Chief Minister Fabián Picardo, and businessman Christian Ryan, who—together with his american partner Konstantin Sokolov—is leading the development of a massive data-centre complex at North Mole, near Gibraltar’s port.

Trump Jr., who serves as Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, remained inside the Madison Building, a high-end office complex in Gibraltar’s Midtown district, between 12:30 and 16:00. The building houses some of the most prominent companies and law firms in the British territory, with Hassans occupying a central role.

Trump arrived in Gibraltar after landing at Málaga Airport and travelling by road in a four-vehicle convoy along the AP-7 to La Línea de la Concepción, where Spain’s National Police—previously informed of the visit—facilitated the entry of his entourage. A similar protocol was activated once the convoy crossed the border onto the Rock, where Gibraltar police temporarily blocked traffic on several streets to allow his passage.

A Visit Linked to Gibraltar’s Planned €2.1 Billion Next-Generation Data Centre

According to sources familiar with the meeting, Trump Jr.’s visit is linked to the Gibraltar Government’s plan to launch a vast next-generation data centre by 2033, envisioned as “a strategic node in Europe’s digital network.” The facility is expected to reach a capacity of 250 megawatts (MW)—equivalent to the electricity consumption of 250,000 households—and will be funded entirely by international investors.

The project is being driven by Pelagos Data Centres, chaired by Sokolov, with a private investment of around €2.1 billion (£1.8 billion). The timing aligns with the anticipated final approval of the UK-EU Gibraltar Treaty, which is expected to integrate Gibraltar into the Schengen area, effectively eliminating on-the-ground consequences of Brexit for the territory and giving it a special status within Europe.

Energy supply remains a key question for the megaproject, but Pelagos maintains that the centre will be capable of supporting “massive workloads tied to AI growth, cloud storage, and critical digital services for businesses and public institutions.”

The company says the facility will run on a mix of renewable energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG), with the goal of reaching net-zero operational emissions. It also plans to use advanced air- and liquid-cooling systems to reduce water consumption and is exploring ways to capture or reuse waste heat for community projects in Gibraltar.

The complex will be built in five phases on 20,000 square metres of land reclaimed from the sea. Construction is slated to begin in late 2027, with subsequent phases rolling out every 18 months, reaching full capacity around 2033.

A Record-Breaking Investment for Gibraltar

The €2.1 billion price tag makes this the largest private investment in Gibraltar’s history.

“This project represents a new chapter for Gibraltar’s economy,” Chief Minister Picardo said in September. “It will not only attract investment and jobs but position the Rock on the European digital map at a time when artificial intelligence and technology are shaping advanced societies.”

Sokolov has echoed this sentiment, highlighting the transformative power of AI:

“The scale of this project marks a new chapter for the digital capabilities of Gibraltar and Europe. Just as electricity and the internet reshaped society in the past, AI is now emerging as the defining technology of our time. With this new centre, Pelagos Data Centres is laying the foundation for the next era of AI-driven innovation and positioning Gibraltar as a strategic hub, enabling Europe’s brightest minds to unlock the full potential of this revolutionary technology.”

Jobs, Training, and Community Integration

Construction of the complex is expected to create up to 500 direct jobs, with around 100 permanent positions once operational, mainly technical, maintenance, and systems management roles. The project also includes the creation of new public spaces and amenities for residents and visitors.

Pelagos says it will prioritise local hiring and training, offering programmes to prepare young Gibraltarians for careers in IT and data-centre management. It also expects the project to generate a multiplier effect across Gibraltar’s economy, benefiting service providers, maintenance companies, hospitality, transport, and other sectors.

Tier III Certification for High Reliability

The complex will meet Tier III certification from the Uptime Institute, the global benchmark for data-centre reliability. Tier III guarantees 99.982% availability, meaning fewer than 1.6 hours of downtime per year.

“This means,” the promoters say, “that the centre will be designed to almost never shut down, even during maintenance tasks, making it a highly reliable infrastructure for banks, tech companies, or any service that cannot afford failures.”

The facility will also operate as a carrier-neutral centre, allowing any network provider to offer its services from the site.

The plan includes the development of green areas and leisure spaces around the complex to better integrate the infrastructure into daily life and provide added value to the community.