'Democrats do not see TRIPP as project exclusive to Trump administration': opinion from Yerevan
US midterm elections and implementation of TRIPP
The US midterm elections, in which the Democratic Party won control of both chambers of Congress, have also become a major topic of discussion in Armenia.
Government officials and experts are discussing the Democrats’ victory in the context of developments in the South Caucasus. In particular, they are focusing on the implementation of the Armenian-American TRIPP project (the “Trump Route”).
TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) is a road that will connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. The project also aims to reopen regional transport links. As a result, Armenia will gain access to third countries via Azerbaijani territory.
For several years, Yerevan and Baku failed to reach an agreement on the issue. Azerbaijan demanded a road that it called the “Zangezur Corridor”. Armenia’s authorities said they were ready to reopen all transport routes. However, Yerevan rejected the term “corridor”, which implies that the country would lose control – and therefore sovereign rights – over this territory.
The two sides reached an agreement in Washington on 8 August. Under the deal, the road will remain under Armenian sovereignty, while the US will join the process as a business partner. The initiative took the name “Trump Route” after the mediator.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that national interests must come first in such matters. Individual political figures and teams may adjust the course of policy, he said.
“I am confident that what we are now doing with the US benefits the United States itself. I do not think the Democrats will have no interest in getting TRIPP built as soon as possible,” he emphasised.
Political analyst Tigran Grigoryan explained that US presidents often lose ground in midterm elections. According to him, their approval ratings usually decline during the first year or two in office, as public dissatisfaction with their policies grows.
Grigoryan described the Republicans’ midterm results as “a historic-scale fiasco”. Nevertheless, he does not expect any significant changes to the implementation of TRIPP.
“There is bipartisan consensus in the US on TRIPP. Democrats do not see TRIPP as a project exclusive to the Trump administration. They recognise its importance for the South Caucasus and for maintaining peace,” the political analyst said.
At the same time, he noted that Yerevan should do more work with its American partners, both at official and expert level. He said Armenia needed to make one message clear to them: “Under no circumstances must the implementation of the Trump Route be put at risk.”
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“There will be no problems” – Armenia’s Security Council secretary
Speaking at the Third World Armenian Summit, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan recalled that the Trump administration had developed the TRIPP project.
“However, I am confident that TRIPP is not simply Trump’s personal business project. It is also a business project for the state.”
Grigoryan said Armenia and the US had agreed on TRIPP at state level. He believes the project will encounter no problems during implementation.
Journalists asked the Security Council secretary whether he was concerned that, after the elections, Trump might turn his attention to domestic issues and lose interest in the South Caucasus.
“TRIPP is not an initiative that depends on any one administration or a single factor. It is an important agreement that aims, among other things, to eliminate a casus belli – a pretext for starting a war,” Armen Grigoryan replied.
“The US will also have opportunities” – US chargé d’affaires in Armenia
At the same summit, David Allen, the US chargé d’affaires in Armenia, also discussed the TRIPP project.
Allen noted that TRIPP aligns with the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace initiative, which aims to turn the country into a regional trade and transit hub.
“For the US, it creates commercial opportunities for American companies and advances our strategic interest in seeing the South Caucasus become a stable, prosperous and interconnected region.”
The diplomat said the US believes that trade links between neighbouring countries reduce the likelihood of war.
“When roads and railways cross borders, they carry not only goods but also trust.”
Comment
Political analyst Tigran Grigoryan says:
“Many people link the midterm election results to the US decision to go to war with Iran. That move had a significant impact on oil and fuel prices and, consequently, on consumers. However, in a broader sense, the events of the past two years led to this historic outcome.
What should we expect in the context of Armenia? I believe oversight of the Trump administration’s policies will become much stricter.
The US system of government is essentially designed so that no branch of power can impose its policies on another.
In theory, even if a Democrat-controlled Congress tries to restrict the president’s decisions, he retains the power of veto and the authority to issue executive orders. During his second term, for example, Obama often governed through executive orders, bypassing Congress on many issues. However, on many other issues, the administration cannot make progress without congressional involvement.
The Democrats’ main advantage is their oversight role. They will now control key committees in the House of Representatives. This means that Democrats will scrutinise all matters relating to TRIPP, including its funding.
They will also pay much closer attention to possible corruption. Reuters recently published an interesting report examining the business interests of Konstantin Sokolov, head of the TRIPP+ Foundation, in Armenia and the potential for conflicts of interest.
This could, for example, become an important area of scrutiny for the Democratic majority.
The TRIPP+ Foundation operates as a separate investment fund. Its main purpose is to finance the Trump Route project.
The 52-year-old financier and investor Konstantin Sokolov also heads Dynamic Frontier Holdings. The company recently acquired the Teghut copper and molybdenum mine in Armenia. Since 2024, Sokolov has also owned a 20% stake in Viva Armenia, a mobile network operator.
Some experts also suspect him of having links to Russia. Sokolov was born in Russia and moved to the US at the age of 21. He is known for investments in telecommunications, energy and financial services.
The Trump administration’s characteristic approach to foreign policy, often based on nepotism and favouritism, has attracted the Democrats’ attention. This includes the involvement of Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and other figures close to Trump in various matters. We should therefore expect Democrats to take a much closer interest in this issue.
Of course, we want TRIPP to be seen as more than just a project of the Trump administration. We need to strengthen that understanding. And we should take active steps to achieve this.”
Background
The Trump Route offers Armenia an opportunity to reopen regional transport links in practice. For Azerbaijan, it provides the shortest route connecting the country with Nakhchivan.
The 43-kilometre section running through Armenian territory will include a railway. A motorway, energy infrastructure and digital communications networks will also run along the same route.
All infrastructure located on Armenian territory will remain under Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction.
The ratified framework agreement provides for the creation of the TRIPP Development Company, which will oversee the project’s development and implementation.
Initially, the US will own 74% of the company’s shares and Armenia 26%. After 49 years, if the parties extend their cooperation for a further 50 years, Armenia’s stake will rise to 49%.
On 7 November 2026, Armenia, the US and Azerbaijan issued a joint statement outlining steps to advance the TRIPP project as quickly as possible:
“The parties agreed to launch the first two trilateral technical planning groups, focusing on areas such as transportation and electricity transmission. Establishing these technical groups marks an important step towards resolving complex technical issues and moving on to the next stages of implementation, including ensuring connections with other regional infrastructure.”
According to the statement, the format brings together politicians and technical experts from the three countries to work jointly and help ensure stability, economic viability and commercial prosperity in the region.
The statement came from US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Brendan Hanrahan, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Vahan Kostanyan, and Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov. However, they provided no further details.
US midterm elections and implementation of TRIPP
