TBILISI, DFWatch–Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that the U.S. will consider measures against anti-American governments, answering a question about Georgia. Opposition media celebrated Rubio’s comments, but the GD government downplayed them, stressing that Georgia was not explicitly mentioned.
Rubio’s testimony in the U.S. Senate has fueled widespread speculation among Georgian analysts and political factions. This continues the uncertainty over where the Trump administration stands on Georgia and its ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD).
Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on May 21, Rubio stated that the U.S. would act against “anti-American government” in strategic regions. His comments came in response to Congressman Joe Wilson, who asked:
“Under your leadership, what will be done to help the State Department impose real costs on the anti-American Georgian Dream on behalf of the people of Georgia?”
Rubio replied:
“Going back to what I said earlier in my opening statement, the goal of the United States is our national interests, so we will look at that and say: Is it in our national interest to have an anti-American government governing an important part of the world? And if not, we will take appropriate actions to impose costs on that government.”
“That’s currently under review, and we are looking for options, and additional options. I have no announcement today specifically what we plan to do yet, but I can tell you that that is something that is being discussed.”
He added that the State Department was consulting with regional bureaus and the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi “to provide guidance on measures that the anti-American government would be most responsive to.”
Although Rubio never explicitly named Georgia, the remarks sparked an immediate response. Opposition leaders framed the comments as a warning aimed at GD, citing Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s recent open letter to the Trump administration as the likely trigger. The letter expressed frustration at the administration’s lack of engagement and called for support, assuming alignment between Trump and GD.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House after the November 5 election, both GD and the opposition have claimed to have his backing. GD figures insist Trump supports their government, while the opposition points to meetings between self-declared President Salome Zourabichvili and members of Trump’s circle.
Congressman Wilson has emerged as a leading voice behind the MEGOBARI Act, a bill that would condition U.S. assistance to Georgia on democratic benchmarks. He has also become a key supporter of the Georgian opposition’s ongoing campaign, which has now exceeded 200 days. Their demands include nullifying the current parliament over alleged election fraud, forming a transitional government, reforming the electoral system, and holding new elections.
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