US Secretary of State labels Georgian Government as “anti-American”

On May 21, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made his first public remarks about Georgia since the beginning of the Trump administration’s second term, labeling the Georgian government as "anti-American" and suggesting consequences may follow.

Rubio was speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee when Congressman Joe Wilson, a co-author of the MEGOBARI Act, asked him about the ongoing situation in Georgia.

“For 200 consecutive days freedom-loving Georgians have taken to the street, embracing themselves with American flags and carrying posters of the President (Trump)," Wilson said. "Under your leadership, what will be done to help the State Department impose the real cost on anti-American Georgian Dream on behalf of the people of Georgia?"

In response, Secretary Rubio said the issue was a matter of US national interest and that the State Department is considering its next steps carefully:

“Going back to what I said earlier in my opening statement, the goal for the United States is our national interests. Is it our national interest having an anti-American government governing an important part of the world? And on that, not to take appropriate actions to impose cost on that government?” Rubio said. “That’s currently under review and we’re looking for options, additional options. But I don’t have an announcement specifically about what we are going to do yet.”

Rubio added that the State Department is working closely with its regional bureaus and diplomatic teams on the ground:
“A great example of why we are going to look into our regional bureaus and our local office on the ground there—to provide guidance on what are the measures the anti-American government will be most responsive to.”