As the 119th Congress prepares for its opening session on January 3rd, South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson has appealed to the incoming Trump administration to prioritize U.S. efforts against foreign malign actors, particularly focusing on Georgia. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Wilson calls on Secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and National Security Advisor nominee Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) to target Georgian sanctions evasion schemes and illicit enterprises tied to former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Wilson, who chairs the Helsinki Commission, argues that such actions would disrupt Russian, Chinese, North Korean, and Iranian complicity, especially given Georgia’s recent political developments and its increasingly authoritarian stance. He praises the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions on Ivanishvili, calling it a “significant step forward” and urges the administration to extend sanctions to Ivanishvili’s family and cronies. The Congressman sees this as an opportunity to advance democratic values globally and counter malign influence.
The letter follows a contentious October election in Georgia, which has led to large-scale protests and calls for new elections due to concerns about the legitimacy of the vote. The ruling Georgian Dream party has since paused the country’s EU accession process, further straining relations with the West. Despite U.S. and European concerns, Georgian leaders, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, have expressed optimism about future relations with the Trump administration, hoping for more favorable treatment.
However, experts, such as Laura Linderman from the American Foreign Policy Council, suggest that the Georgian Dream’s expectations are misplaced. Given the strong bipartisan U.S. support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic path, Trump’s foreign policy team is expected to maintain a tough stance on countries aligned with China and Iran, making any shift in U.S. policy toward Georgia unlikely.
Wilson’s letter is a continuation of broader U.S. and European criticism of Georgia’s political trajectory under Ivanishvili’s influence, with concerns about the country’s alignment with Russia and China and its recent moves to isolate itself from the West. This includes the adoption of policies that favor Chinese investments, the suspension of EU accession talks, and visits by Georgian officials to Iran.
James Carafano, Senior Counselor at the Heritage Foundation, comments that Georgia’s increasing ties with Moscow and Beijing are likely to result in a tougher U.S. response, reinforcing the idea that countries relying on authoritarian support should not expect leniency from the Trump administration.