'Trump Tower' to be built in Tbilisi, set to become the city’s tallest building

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), US President Donald Trump’s business holding and its partners are planning to build a “Trump Tower” in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, which is set to become the city’s tallest building.

WSJ, citing representatives of the parties involved in the project, reports that the plan is for a roughly 70-storey complex that could become one of the most prominent architectural landmarks in Tbilisi. The skyscraper will include luxury residences, retail space and a hotel.

The design is reportedly by the international architecture firm Gensler, known for its large-scale urban and commercial projects.

According to the WSJ, the consortium behind the project brings together several Georgian and international development companies. A New York-based developer and former partner of the Trump Organization, Sapir, is also involved, suggesting the project sits at the intersection of local and global business interests.

Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump, says the aim of the Tbilisi project is to extend the company’s “globally recognised standard of excellence” to the region.

The idea of introducing the Trump brand to Georgia dates back to 2012, when the company unveiled plans for a real estate project in Batumi. The presentation was attended by then Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Donald Trump himself.

However, those plans were never realised. The Trump Organization later cancelled the Batumi project along with other international initiatives, citing a desire to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

In 2017, Silk Road Group and the Co-Investment Fund founded by Bidzina Ivanishvili said they planned to finance the construction of a $250m skyscraper, which was expected to open under the “Trump Tower” brand. However, the project was again delayed and was never fully realised.

The U.S. extended sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, seen as Georgia’s “shadow ruler”

They were imposed in 2024 as part of anti-Russian sanctions introduced by the previous U.S. president

Former Tbilisi City Council member Saba Buadze points out that the construction of “Trump Tower” would require the clearing of 80,000 square metres of forest.

“Trump Tower” to be built in Tbilisi