Georgian Dream officials urge focus on ‘national interests’ over Trump presidency

Kakha Kaladze, Secretary General of the Georgian Dream and Mayor of Tbilisi, stated that neither US President-elect Donald Trump nor European representatives can solve Georgia’s internal challenges.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Kaladze emphasized the need to prioritize Georgia’s national interests over external expectations.

“Why did the people support us? Because we want to pursue the interests of our country,” Kaladze said. “Trump was elected by the majority of the American population, and he will certainly pursue the interests of the American people. Neither Trump nor any representative of any European country can do what we need to do here.”

His remarks come a day after Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of Georgian Dream, cautioned against placing undue hope in Trump’s presidency. Mdinaradze noted that while some pressure on Georgia might ease if Trump tackles what he termed the “deep state” in the US, ongoing challenges could persist if those efforts fail.

“If [Trump] manages to completely uproot and defeat [informal influences], then the pressure on us will be lifted from any direction. But, unfortunately, if this fails, then, naturally, the turbulence will continue,” Mdinaradze said on Monday.

The ruling Georgian Dream party has frequently attributed strained US-Georgia relations to the so-called “global war party,” a term Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze recently replaced with “deep state.” Party leaders have expressed optimism that US policy toward Georgia will shift after Trump’s January 20, 2025, inauguration, though Mdinaradze’s latest comments suggest tempered expectations.