Wall Street Journal: New Trump Tower to be built in Georgia as country draws closer to Russia
Trump Tower in Georgia
A 70-storey Trump Tower, set to become the tallest building in Tbilisi, is the latest business project planned in Georgia, a country that has distanced itself from Washington and drawn closer to Moscow in recent years, the influential US newspaper Wall Street Journal reports.
The newspaper said the skyscraper is set to be built on land in Tbilisi bought from a fund linked to US-sanctioned billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Georgian developers are launching a marketing campaign for the project this week, promoting the skyscraper as one of Georgia’s most significant new developments.
In May 2026, the developers signed a branding agreement with the Trump Organization, allowing them to use the Trump name and brand. As with other international projects, the Trump Organization is not directly involved in construction but licenses its brand to developers.
However, the Tbilisi project differs from a typical property deal because it comes amid a sharp deterioration in Georgia’s relations with the United States.
Georgia moves away from US while embracing Trump brand
The Wall Street Journal noted that the project comes amid a sharp deterioration in US-Georgian relations.
Georgia was once regarded as one of Washington’s closest partners in the former Soviet Union, with President George W Bush calling it a “beacon of liberty” during a 2005 visit to Tbilisi. The newspaper said relations with the West had deteriorated under the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has faced criticism over democratic backsliding, while Tbilisi has moved closer to Moscow and its EU accession process has effectively stalled.
Against this backdrop, Georgian developers are pressing ahead with a skyscraper bearing the name of the US president, the WSJ said.
The deal comes as the Georgian government faces growing criticism from Washington and the country moves closer to Russia, the paper reiterated.
Land plot, Bidzina Ivanishvili and $85m
The Wall Street Journal reported that the developers bought the land for the project in 2023 from a fund controlled by the family of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Georgian corporate records cited by the newspaper showed the deal was worth up to $85m and was completed in July 2026.
Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia and served as prime minister in 2012-13, remains Georgia’s most influential political figure despite holding no government post.
His Georgian Dream party denies Western and opposition accusations of democratic backsliding and rigging the 2024 parliamentary election.
New era for Trump’s business
The Wall Street Journal said the Tbilisi project also reflected the expansion of the Trump Organization’s overseas business since Donald Trump began his second term.
Restrictions on new foreign deals imposed during his first presidency have been lifted, with Trump-branded projects also under development in Abu Dhabi, Vietnam and the Maldives.
Trump reported $59m in income from foreign property licensing deals in 2025, up from $45m in 2024, according to the newspaper.
The Trump Organization says its business is run independently of the administration and denies any conflict of interest, while Democrats and governance groups argue that overseas earnings could create conflicts with US foreign policy.
‘Positive rapprochement’
The Wall Street Journal said some Georgian analysts saw the Trump Tower project as more than a commercial deal.
Economist Giorgi Khishtovani said it could be aimed at establishing a connection with the Trump administration.
In May, Georgian investors including Wissol Group president Samson Pkhakadze and former Georgian Dream MP Ilia Tsulaia signed the agreement with Eric Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Tsulaia had also joined a Georgian delegation to Washington in 2025 seeking to improve relations with the new US administration and discuss sanctions.
A former senior US official involved in the talks told the newspaper that the group was seeking a “positive rapprochement” with Washington.
Trump Tower in Russia’s shadow
The Wall Street Journal said the planned Trump Tower brought together the US president’s global business interests and Georgia’s changing foreign policy.
The newspaper noted the contrast between Georgia’s efforts to rebuild ties with Washington and its improving relations with Moscow, particularly given that parts of Georgian territory have remained under Russian occupation since the 2008 war.
Construction has yet to begin, but if completed, the Trump Tower would become Tbilisi’s tallest building.
