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.

Artsakh Independence | Diplomacy | Normalization with Turkey | Gorbachev | Ep 162 - Sep 4, 2022 [EP162]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 6, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Economy, Geopolitics, Israel | Series: WIR

Armenian News Network - Groong Week in Review - Sep 4, 2022

Topics:

  • September 2: Artsakh Independence Day
    • September 2 is a public holiday commemorating the day 31 years ago when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic declared independence from the USSR. Before 2020, this would be a festive holiday. This year, there were protests in both Yerevan and Stepanakert as well as visits to the gravesites of fallen heroes.
  • Developments in Geopolitics
    • There were two major meetings this week between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On August 30, the deputy PMs met in Moscow, then on August 31, Pashinyan and Aliyev met
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Artsakh Independence | Diplomacy | Normalization with Turkey | Gorbachev | Ep 162 - Sep 4, 2022 [EP162]

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 6, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Economy, Geopolitics, Israel

Armenian News Network - Groong Week in Review - Sep 4, 2022

Topics:

  • September 2: Artsakh Independence Day
    • September 2 is a public holiday commemorating the day 31 years ago when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic declared independence from the USSR. Before 2020, this would be a festive holiday. This year, there were protests in both Yerevan and Stepanakert as well as visits to the gravesites of fallen heroes.
  • Developments in Geopolitics
    • There were two major meetings this week between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On August 30, the deputy PMs met in Moscow, then on August 31, Pashinyan and Aliyev met
 Read More

Aid to Nagorno Karabakh Effectively Blocked | Ep #158 - Aug 25, 2022 [EP158]

Posted on Thursday, Aug 25, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Russia | Series: COG

Aid to Nagorno Karabakh Effectively Blocked - August 25, 2022 A Conversation with ARAM SUREN HAMPARIAN

Topics:

  • The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Has Called on Congress to Investigate the Biden Administration’s Artsakh Aid Blockade.
  • The Biden Administration’s Record on Armenian-Backed Resolutions.

Guest:

  • Aram Suren Hamparian is the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America.

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 158 | Recorded on Thursday, August 25, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220825.html

Aid to Nagorno Karabakh Effectively Blocked | Ep #158 - Aug 25, 2022 [EP158]

Posted on Thursday, Aug 25, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Russia

Aid to Nagorno Karabakh Effectively Blocked - August 25, 2022 A Conversation with ARAM SUREN HAMPARIAN

Topics:

  • The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Has Called on Congress to Investigate the Biden Administration’s Artsakh Aid Blockade.
  • The Biden Administration’s Record on Armenian-Backed Resolutions.

Guest:

  • Aram Suren Hamparian is the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America.

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 158 | Recorded on Thursday, August 25, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220825.html

Azerbaijan Attacks | Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno | Chalabyan Re-arrested | Ep #152 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP152]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022

Topics:

  • Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh Again
    • Armenian & Artsakh Authorities Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno Population
  • Avetik Chalabyan Re-arrested

Guests:

  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan - TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html

Azerbaijan Attacks | Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno | Chalabyan Re-arrested | Ep #152 - Aug 7, 2022 [EP152]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Economy

ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 7, 2022

Topics:

  • Azerbaijan Attacks Artsakh Again
    • Armenian & Artsakh Authorities Evacuating Berdzor & Aghavno Population
  • Avetik Chalabyan Re-arrested

Guests:

  • Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan - TW/@Benyamin_Poghos

Host:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 152 | Recorded: Monday, August 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220807.html

A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian, Mayor of Glendale, California | Ep #147 - July 14, 2022 [EP147]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 14, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Artsakh, Iran, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, Economy, Russia | Series: COG

Armenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:33 Mayor and Councilman of Glendale
  • 21:45 June 2022 Elections
  • 29:03 US National Politics
  • 37:43 Armenian-American Political Advocacy
  • 53:55 Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • 58:00 Relations between Glendale and Armenia

Guest:

  • Ardashes ‘Ardy’ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman and the current mayor of Glendale.

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@hovikyerevan

Episode 147 | Recorded on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220714.html

A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian, Mayor of Glendale, California | Ep #147 - July 14, 2022 [EP147]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 14, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Artsakh, Iran, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Syria, Economy, Russia

Armenian News Network/Groong: Current Topics with the Mayor of Glendale - July 14, 2022 A Conversation with Ardy Kassakhian

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:33 Mayor and Councilman of Glendale
  • 21:45 June 2022 Elections
  • 29:03 US National Politics
  • 37:43 Armenian-American Political Advocacy
  • 53:55 Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • 58:00 Relations between Glendale and Armenia

Guest:

  • Ardashes ‘Ardy’ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman and the current mayor of Glendale.

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@hovikyerevan

Episode 147 | Recorded on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220714.html

Armenian News: Russia Geopolitics | Armenia Russia Rels | Israel & Armenia | Ep #140 - May 29, 2022 [EP140]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2022 | Category: Russia, Armenia, Israel, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Syria, Middle East, Economy, Geopolitics, Georgia, Artsakh, China, Genocide, India | Series: WIR

Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - May 29, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction

  • 02:27 Russia’s Geopolitics: We’ll get an update on the war as well as trying to understand what Russia’s endgame is in Ukraine and how it may affect our region.

  • 23:10 Armenia-Russia Relations: Next, we try to understand the dynamics of Armenia-Russian relations as well as the outlook for the future.

  • 42:38 Israeli Interests and Armenia: Lastly, taking advantage of our guest’s area of expertise, we look at Israeli-Armenian relations, the history of failures in this area and what is needed for

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