Trump Tower in Tbilisi: Geopolitics Cast in Concrete?

NTV podcast by Kevin Schulte with Managing Partner Dr. Hannes Meissner

A Trump Tower in Georgia, long considered a failed project, is back on the agenda. After several attempts since 2012, the Trump Organization is once again considering the construction of a high-rise building in Tbilisi. At the time, Donald Trump had announced plans to transform the country into the “Monte Carlo of the Caucasus” through luxury developments — a promise that so far has largely resulted in failed attempts.

 “The fact that these plans are resurfacing now is a very surprising development,” says political scientist and risk analyst Hannes Meissner. Similar projects had already failed in 2012 and 2017. Even today, it remains unclear whether this is a serious investment or rather a politically motivated project.

 The planned complex, with around 70 floors, luxury apartments, a hotel, and retail space, is being framed by the Georgian government as a sign of economic strength. Observers, however, see it primarily as symbolic politics — and a project whose economic benefits remain questionable.

 The location is particularly sensitive: the designated construction site is indirectly linked to the circle of influential businessman and politician Bidzina Ivanishvili. “There is little doubt that behind the relevant structures lies an extensive network of power,” Meissner explains. These networks partially take on state functions and simultaneously serve as political instruments.

 The project gains additional significance due to international sanctions: Ivanishvili has been on a U.S. sanctions list since 2024. The fact that a project connected to his circle is now being advanced by a U.S. president raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and political motives. Critics view it less as a construction project and more as a geopolitical signal.

 Whether the project will actually be realized remains uncertain. After years of contradictory developments, it appears less like a reliable investment and more like an example of how closely economic interests, political power, and international strategy are intertwined.

 Please follow the link to the NTV podcast.