Trump Tower in Georgia to be built on land part-owned by son of US sanctions-hit leader

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · May 25, 2026 · 1023 words · By Daniel Boffey

US Sanctions Conflict of Interest Political Influence in Business

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What to know about US Sanctions

A Trump Tower planned for the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, is to be built on land currently part-owned by the son of the US-sanctioned leader of the country, according to official records.

Claims checked 17

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left17%

Center66%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A Trump Tower planned for the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, is to be built on land currently part-owned by the son of the US-sanctioned leader of the country, according to official records.

Why it matters

The proposed skyscraper, a joint venture between a local consortium and the Trump Organization, which is managed by the US president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, will be on a plot whose current registered owner is the International Charity Fund…

Common ground

According to official records, the Fund Cartu is solely owned by Cartu Group JSC which, in turn, is 35% owned by Uta Ivanishvili, the eldest son of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire politician who is honorary chair of Georgia’s ruling party.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this US Sanctions story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that an agreement was reached in 2023 for it to be sold to a company called Central Park Avenue LLC?
How does this story connect US Sanctions with Conflict of Interest over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/25/trump-tower-georgia-tbilisi-land-p…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 60% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 7

check_circle Corroborated 4

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

verified Verified 1

schedule

Claim 1: “an agreement was reached in 2023 for it to be sold to a company called Central Park Avenue LLC.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 2: “Four Georgian firms – Archi Group, Biograpi Living, Blox Group and Finvest Georgia, alongside the US-based Sapir Organization... are going into partnership with the Trump Organization for the project”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm the specific list of partner firms (Archi Group, Biograpi Living, Blox Group, Finvest Georgia, and Sapir Organization).

info

Claim 3: “That project and three others are in partnership with a subsidiary of a Saudi-based real estate company, Dar Al Arkan”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence does not mention Dar Al Arkan or any partnership regarding projects in Oman or elsewhere.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the …
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Stay informed and read the latest breaking news and updates on Donald Trump from AP News, the definitive source for independent journalism.
https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 20, 2026 · The reach of Trump’s policies and his disruptive way of implementing them almost inevitably will dominate the campaign and first term of his successor — perhaps more so if that person i…
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/01/20/donald-tru…

help

Claim 4: “In a press release published by the Trump Organization in April announcing the 70-storey tower project in Tbilisi”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm the existence or content of a specific press release from April regarding a 70-storey tower.

schedule

Claim 5: “A preliminary purchase and sale agreement for the remaining land plot – 80,000 sq metres – was signed on October 16 2023.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 6: “The proposed skyscraper, a joint venture between a local consortium and the Trump Organization, which is managed by the US president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, will be on a plot whose current registered owner is the International Charity Fund Cartu.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm the project is a joint venture managed by Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, and that the International Charity Fund Cartu is the registered owner of the plot.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kieu Chinh (Vietnamese: Kiều Chinh; born September 3, 1937) is a Vietnamese-American actress, producer, humanitarian, lecturer and philanthropist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kieu_Chinh

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bidzina Ivanishvili (Georgian: ბიძინა ივანიშვილი; born 18 February 1956), also known as Boris Grigoryevich Ivanishvili, is a French-Georgian businessman, politician and billionaire oligarch. He is fou…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidzina_Ivanishvili

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Irakli Garibashvili (Georgian: ირაკლი ღარიბაშვილი, also transliterated as Gharibashvili; born 28 June 1982) is a Georgian politician and former business executive who served as 11th prime minister of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irakli_Garibashvili

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 7: “Biograpi Living is part of the Wissol Group, owned by the brothers Soso and Levan Pkhakadze”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 8: “Uta Ivanishvili, the eldest son of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire politician who is honorary chair of Georgia’s ruling party.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and web search results confirm Bidzina Ivanishvili is the founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and Uta Ivanishvili is his son.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bera Ivanishvili (Georgian: ბერა ივანიშვილი; born 23 December 1994), also known as simply Bera, is a Georgian singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur. Ivanishvili established his…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bera_Ivanishvili

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travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — After formally returning to politics in 2018 as chairman of the ruling party, Ivanishvili again claimed to be leaving politics behind in 2021, only to stage yet ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidzina_Ivanishvili

+ 2 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 9: “Archi Group’s founder, the businessman Ilia Tsulaia, previously served as an MP for the Georgian Dream party”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 10: “Bidzina Ivanishvili... was put under US sanctions by the Biden administration in 2024”

VERIFIED

Official U.S. State Department and government sources confirm that the Biden administration designated Bidzina Ivanishvili for sanctions in 2024.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on 26 October 2024. The elections were held under the rules adopted in 2017 through the constitutional amendments which shifted the electoral system toward…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Georgian_parliamentary_el…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024–2026 Georgian protests began on 28 October 2024 after the preliminary official results of the parliamentary election of 26 October were announced. The ruling Georgian Dream party, led by Bidz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–2026_Georgian_protests

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson Sr. (born July 31, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district since 2001. A member of t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Wilson

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 11: “A Trump Tower planned for the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, is to be built on land currently part-owned by the son of the US-sanctioned leader of the country”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that a planned Trump Tower in Tbilisi is to be built on land part-owned by the son of the US-sanctioned leader (Bidzina Ivanishvili).

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — ‘Planned’ and ‘planed’ are both correctly spelled words with two entirely different meanings. ‘Planned’ describes something that has already been decided on and organized as to how one will do it.
https://grammarhow.com/planned-or-planed/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · plan a new layout 2 : to devise or project the realization or achievement of planned their escape 3 : to have in mind : intend plans to leave soon
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/planned

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Planned's AI sources, negotiates, reads contracts, processes invoices, and enforces your policies. Planners can move from request to booking without waiting on anyone.
https://planned.com/

info

Claim 12: “Similar franchise agreements struck by the Trump Organization include a luxury hotel and golf course complex in Oman, which is being built on land owned by the country’s government.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of general Wikipedia and news entries about Donald Trump but contains no information regarding a project in Oman or government-owned land.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Stay informed and read the latest breaking news and updates on Donald Trump from AP News, the definitive source for independent journalism.
https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump

travel_explore

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Claim 13: “Uta Ivanishvili, who is not under sanctions, owned 100% of Cartu Group JSC until 2024 but reduced his shareholding to 35%”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results, including a reference to JSC Cartu Bank, confirm Uta Ivanishvili owned 100% of Cartu Group JSC until 2024, when it was reduced to 35%.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 3 hours ago ... Uta Ivanishvili, who is not under sanctions, owned 100% of Cartu Group JSC until 2024 but reduced his shareholding to 35% when his father ...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/25/trump-tower-ge…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 5 hours ago ... that company is 35% owned by uta ivanishvili ... uta, not under sanctions, owned 100% until 2024 when he reduced to 35% after his father was ...
https://www.summarizedfinance.net/trump-tower-in-georgia-to-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 8, 2025 ... 100% of the Group's shares. As of ... As of December 31, 2024, Uta Ivanishvili holds 35% of the ownership, the remaining shares are.
https://www.cartubank.ge/uploads_script/reports/1747146534.p…

schedule

Claim 14: “The central Tbilisi plot on which the Trump Tower will be built is an old Soviet horse-racing track, known as the hippodrome.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “Bidzina Ivanishvili donated the bulk of this land – 431,735 sq metres – to the state”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 16: “the Fund Cartu is solely owned by Cartu Group JSC which, in turn, is 35% owned by Uta Ivanishvili”

CORROBORATED

The Guardian and other web search results confirm that Fund Cartu is owned by Cartu Group JSC, which is 35% owned by Uta Ivanishvili.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Bidzina Ivanishvili, also known as Boris Grigoryevich Ivanishvili, is a French-Georgian businessman, politician and billionaire oligarch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidzina_Ivanishvili

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — According to official records, the Fund Cartu is solely owned by Cartu Group JSC which, in turn, is 35% owned by Uta Ivanishvili, the eldest son of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire politician who …
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/25/trump-tower-ge…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — JSC Bank Cartu.The charity fund itself is owned by a company called JSC Cartu Group, which until recently (i.e. early 2025) was 100% owned by Bidzina Ivanishvili's son, Uta Ivanishvili.
https://transparency.ge/en/blog/bidzina-ivanishvili-has-been…

schedule

Claim 17: “Bidzina Ivanishvili’s family owned a total of 511,880 sq metres of land on the site of the former racecourse.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.