Tag: Donald Trump

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in January 2025 brought a distinct set of priorities to US engagement in the South Caucasus. The Trump administration’s signature regional initiative has been the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a connectivity proposal centered on opening the Zangezur Corridor through Armenia to link Turkey and Azerbaijan — and potentially extending to regional economic integration. The proposal has been controversial in Armenia, where many view it as pressure to make territorial concessions to Azerbaijan under the banner of economic development.

More broadly, the Trump administration’s approach to the South Caucasus reflects its transactional foreign policy: prioritizing deal-making, reducing emphasis on democracy and human rights conditions, and recalibrating relationships with traditional allies and adversaries alike. For Armenia, this has meant navigating a US posture that is simultaneously a potential counterweight to Russia and a source of pressure on the peace process.

Groong has covered Trump’s impact on Armenian affairs extensively, from the TRIPP proposal and its reception in Yerevan to US-Armenia security cooperation, Congressional dynamics, and how Trump-era US foreign policy compares with the Biden approach to the South Caucasus.

Arthur Khachatryan - Iran, US, Armenia, Fake Peace, Gyumri & Parakar Municipal Elections | Ep 425, Mar 30, 2025 [EP425]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 1, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Elections, Azerbaijan, Iran, USA | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Rejects US Offer of Direct Negotiations
  • Iran and Armenia Ties
  • Gyumri and Parakar Municipal Elections
  • Artsakh Refugee Protests in Armenia

Episode 425 | Recorded: March 31, 2025

Arthur Khachatryan - Iran, US, Armenia, Fake Peace, Gyumri & Parakar Municipal Elections | Ep 425, Mar 30, 2025 [EP425]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 1, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Elections, Azerbaijan, Iran, USA

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Rejects US Offer of Direct Negotiations
  • Iran and Armenia Ties
  • Gyumri and Parakar Municipal Elections
  • Artsakh Refugee Protests in Armenia

Episode 425 | Recorded: March 31, 2025

Benyamin Poghosyan - Peace or Capitulation? Armenia's Dilemma & Ukraine Shifts | Ep 423 - Mar 16, 2025 [EP423]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Russia, Iran, Turkey | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
  • Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
  • Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
  • Witkoff’s Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.

Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025

Benyamin Poghosyan - Peace or Capitulation? Armenia's Dilemma & Ukraine Shifts | Ep 423 - Mar 16, 2025 [EP423]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Russia, Iran, Turkey

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
  • Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
  • Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
  • Witkoff’s Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.

Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025

Negotiations Expert: Ukraine-U.S. Ceasefire Agreement in Jeddah – Is Russia on Board? | Ep 422, Mar 12, 2025 [EP422]

Posted on Thursday, Mar 13, 2025 | Category: Ukraine, Russia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ceasefire Terms:
  • Negotiation Dynamics
  • Posturing & International Pressure
  • Risks & Challenges

Episode 422 | Recorded: March 12, 2025

Negotiations Expert: Ukraine-U.S. Ceasefire Agreement in Jeddah – Is Russia on Board? | Ep 422, Mar 12, 2025 [EP422]

Posted on Thursday, Mar 13, 2025 | Category: Ukraine, Russia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ceasefire Terms:
  • Negotiation Dynamics
  • Posturing & International Pressure
  • Risks & Challenges

Episode 422 | Recorded: March 12, 2025

Hrant Mikaelian - Abkhazia Polls, Armenian Hostages in Baku, Yerevan Protests | Ep 421, Mar 2, 2025 [EP421]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 5, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, Russia | Series: wir

Guest:

Topics:

  • Abkhaz Elections & Regional Implications – The second round of Abkhazia’s presidential elections, the impact of mass protests, and what Badra Gunba’s victory means for the region.
  • Armenian Hostages in Baku – Ongoing trials of Armenian POWs and former Artsakh leaders, reports of torture, and international calls for independent medical evaluations.
  • Protests in Yerevan Over POWs – Civil society and opposition-led demonstrations demanding stronger government action and international intervention.
 Read More

Hrant Mikaelian - Abkhazia Polls, Armenian Hostages in Baku, Yerevan Protests | Ep 421, Mar 2, 2025 [EP421]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 5, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Geopolitics, Human Rights, Russia

Guest:

Topics:

  • Abkhaz Elections & Regional Implications – The second round of Abkhazia’s presidential elections, the impact of mass protests, and what Badra Gunba’s victory means for the region.
  • Armenian Hostages in Baku – Ongoing trials of Armenian POWs and former Artsakh leaders, reports of torture, and international calls for independent medical evaluations.
  • Protests in Yerevan Over POWs – Civil society and opposition-led demonstrations demanding stronger government action and international intervention.
 Read More

Carden, Shakarian - Trump, Foreign Policy, Foreign Aid, US-Armenia and Regions | Ep 420, Mar 3, 2025 [EP420]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 4, 2025 | Category: USA, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Geopolitics, China | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • US Foreign Policy Under Trump
  • Transactional Foreign Policy
  • Trump’s Cabinet & Policy Shifts
  • US-Armenia Relations

Episode 420 | Recorded: February 27, 2025