Skyscraper was proposed in effort to woo US president as Syria’s new government sought removal of sanctions

Forty-five storeys tall, a potential $200m (£150m) price tag and “Trump” emblazoned in gold across its crown – this is Trump Tower Damascus, a gleaming monument meant to usher war-torn Syria back on to the international stage.

As the gold lettering suggests, the flashy building was designed to attract attention: the US president’s attention.