WSJ: A 70-story "Trump Tower" Will Be Built In Tbilisi

• 13.09.2026, 16:55

The project could be seen as a sign of loyalty to Washington.

Plans are underway in Tbilisi to build a 70-story skyscraper called “Trump Tower,” which could become Georgia’s tallest building. Local developers have already signed an agreement with the Trump Organization to use the brand, and the marketing campaign is already underway, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The developers purchased the lot for the future tower from a fund linked to Georgian billionaire Bizina Ivanishvili, who is subject to U.S. sanctions. According to registry data, the total payment for the deal could amount to as much as $85 million.
The project emerged during a period of cooling relations between Washington and Tbilisi. The ruling “Georgian Dream” party has been increasingly aligning itself with Moscow in recent years, which has exacerbated Georgia’s disagreements with the U.S. and the European Union.
The construction of “Trump Tower” may not be merely a commercial project. For Georgian businesspeople, partnering with the U.S. president’s company could be a way to build relationships with his administration and reduce the risk of sanctions from the White House.

Georgian entrepreneurs Samson Phakadze and Ilya Tzulaya, as well as American developer Alex Sapir, are involved in the project. The entrepreneurs had previously attempted to carry out the “Trump Tower” project in Batumi, but it ended in failure.
During Trump’s second presidential term, the Trump Organization has once again stepped up its international licensing business. Last year, the company earned $59 million from overseas projects.
“Critics see a risk of conflict of interest in Trump’s overseas business,” writes The Wall Street Journal. The White House rejects these allegations.

“The project in Tbilisi could be a way to demonstrate loyalty to the U.S. administration,” the authors argue.