A Trump Tower planned for Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, will be built on land that is currently partly owned by the son of the country’s US-sanctioned leader, according to official records. The proposed skyscraper is a joint venture between a local group and the Trump Organization, which is run by the US president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. The plot of land is currently registered as owned by the International Charity Fund Cartu.
Official records show that Fund Cartu is solely owned by Cartu Group JSC, which is 35% owned by Uta Ivanishvili, the eldest son of Bidzina Ivanishvili. Bidzina is a billionaire politician and honorary chair of Georgia’s ruling party, widely seen as the country’s de facto leader. In 2024, the Biden administration placed him under US sanctions for “undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation.”
Uta Ivanishvili, who is not under sanctions, owned 100% of Cartu Group JSC until 2024. He reduced his stake to 35% after his father—Georgia’s richest man—was hit with US economic restrictions. It is not possible to identify who owns the remaining 65% of Cartu Group JSC today, because individual shareholdings under 5% can be held anonymously.
Under the sanctions, US citizens are banned from doing business, processing payments, or providing services directly to Bidzina Ivanishvili without special permission. However, there is an exemption for businesses he controls.
The links between the Trump Organization and the Ivanishvili family are likely to raise fresh concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as the US president sells his name to developers who want to market residential and resort complexes. Similar franchise deals by the Trump Organization include a luxury hotel and golf course in Oman, built on land owned by the Omani government. According to the New York Times, that project and three others are partnerships with a subsidiary of Dar Al Arkan, a Saudi-based real estate company with close ties to the Saudi government. The White House has said that “neither the president nor his family” have “ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest.”
In a press release from the Trump Organization in April announcing the 70-story tower project in Tbilisi, Eric Trump, the executive vice-president of the real estate company, said the firm was “proud to bring this globally recognized standard of excellence to Georgia and are especially pleased to collaborate with such respected and professional developers on this project.”
Four Georgian companies—Archi Group, Biograpi Living, Blox Group, and Finvest Georgia—along with the US-based Sapir Organization, a longtime Trump partner, are teaming up with the Trump Organization to build Georgia’s tallest building. None of these companies or their directors are under sanctions. Archi Group’s founder, businessman Ilia Tsulaia, previously served as an MP for the Georgian Dream party. Biograpi Living is part of the Wissol Group, owned by brothers Soso and Levan Pkhakadze, whose silence on Georgia’s recent political turmoil has been noted in local media. None of the companies responded to a request for comment.
The central Tbilisi plot where the Trump Tower will be built is an old Soviet horse-racing track, known as the hippodrome. It is currently owned by Cartu, but an agreement was reached in 2023 for it to be sold to a company called Central Park Avenue LLC. So far, only a small peripheral part of that land has been transferred.The sale of the majority of the land is set to be completed once Cartu receives payment for the purchase price.
Temo Tsikvadze, Ivanishvili’s lawyer, said: “Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family owned a total of 511,880 square meters of land on the site of the former racecourse.
“Bidzina Ivanishvili donated most of this land – 431,735 square meters – to the state and is currently building a public space, Central Park, on it at his own expense. A preliminary purchase and sale agreement for the remaining 80,000 square meters was signed on October 16, 2023.
“Under this agreement, the future owner is Central Park Avenue LLC (though a portion of 9,645 square meters has already been fully transferred). The rest of the land will be handed over to the new owner once payment is made according to the terms of the agreement.”
Critics of Bidzina Ivanishvili in Georgia see the Trump Tower project as an attempt to win favor with the US president. Leaders of the Georgian Dream party have loudly promoted the project as a sign of confidence in Georgia’s economy and governance.
Shalva Papuashvili, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said: “When Trump’s company enters Georgia under its own brand, it shows they have a strong understanding of the local environment. Naturally, Trump and his company are careful to protect their reputation.”
Sandro Kevkhishvili, the anti-corruption program manager at Transparency International Georgia, said there were reasons to worry that the Trump Tower project in Georgia was “not just a private business project, but a political one.”
He pointed to three concerns: first, the involvement of a businessman linked to the Georgian Dream party; second, the fact that the land for the project still belongs to the Cartu Fund, a charity tied to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family – Ivanishvili is the honorary chair of the ruling party and widely seen as having effective control over Georgia; and third, that pro-Georgian Dream propaganda channels, recently sanctioned by the UK under Russia sanctions for spreading false information about the war in Ukraine, are presenting this business deal as a political win for the ruling party.
The White House directed questions to the Trump Organization, which did not respond to requests for comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the reported Trump Tower project in Georgia covering the basics and the more complex issues
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q Is a Trump Tower really being built in Georgia
A Yes a project called Trump Towers Georgia has been announced for Batumi a city on the Black Sea coast
Q Who owns the land where it will be built
A The land is partly owned by the son of Bidzina Ivanishvili the former prime minister of Georgia Ivanishvili is currently under US sanctions
Q What is the big deal about this land ownership
A The concern is that it creates a potential conflict of interest The Trump family is doing business with the family of a person who is sanctioned by the US government
Q Is Donald Trump directly involved in this project
A The project is being developed by the Trump Organization which is the family business Donald Trump is no longer the CEO but he still profits from the company
Q Who is Bidzina Ivanishvili
A He is a billionaire who served as the prime minister of Georgia He is widely considered the countrys most powerful political figure The US sanctioned him for undermining democracy in Georgia
AdvancedLevel Questions
Q How does this project relate to US sanctions against Ivanishvili
A This is the core controversy While the land is owned by Ivanishvilis son doing business with a sanctioned individuals close family member can be seen as a way to bypass the sanctions It raises questions about whether the Trump Organization is indirectly benefiting the sanctioned party
Q What was the Trump Organizations stated reason for pursuing this deal
A The Trump Organization has stated they see it as a profitable business opportunity in a growing tourist market They have not commented on the political or sanctions implications
Q Could this deal violate US law
A Legal experts are divided Directly doing business with a sanctioned person is illegal However doing business with their son is a legal gray area It would depend on whether the deal was structured to evade sanctions or if the son is acting as a front for his father No charges have been filed
