As the 119th Congress commences, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) is calling on the incoming Trump administration to tackle alleged illicit activities tied to Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party and its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, recently sanctioned by the US.

In a letter to Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor nominee Michael Waltz, Wilson urges the administration to "prioritize using U.S. law enforcement mechanisms to expose and dismantle Georgian sanctions evasion schemes, scam call centers, and other illicit Georgian Dream enterprises." Wilson asserts these operations allow Ivanishvili's regime to profit from global conflicts, aided by nations like China, North Korea, and Iran.

Wilson, who chairs the Helsinki Commission, praises the sanctions against Ivanishvili as a crucial step, advocating for their extension to his family and associates. He emphasizes the opportunity to bolster democracy and counter harmful global influences, stating that curbing the Georgian Dream's power would significantly weaken authoritarian alliances.

This call to action follows contested parliamentary elections in Georgia, the government's suspension of EU accession talks, and widespread protests. International observers, including the International Republican Institute (IRI), deemed the elections flawed, with IRI President Dan Twining suggesting new elections are necessary to restore public trust.

Despite international pressure, the Georgian parliament recently inaugurated Mikheil Kavelashvili as president, an event notably lacking foreign dignitaries. Georgian Dream officials have downplayed the impact of US sanctions and expressed hope for improved relations under the Trump administration. However, Laura Linderman, Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, believes this is a miscalculation, given the likely tougher stance of Trump's national security team against countries aligned with China and Iran.

Linderman also notes the bipartisan support in Congress for Georgia's democratic trajectory, making it unlikely for Trump to challenge this consensus. Under Ivanishvili, the Georgian Dream government has shifted away from the West, forging ties with authoritarian regimes, partnering with China, adopting Russian-style laws, and halting EU accession talks. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has made multiple visits to Iran this year, including attending the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, marked by anti-US and anti-Israel chants.

James Carafano, a foreign policy expert at the Heritage Foundation, anticipates a less tolerant approach from the Trump administration towards regimes aligned with Moscow and Beijing, suggesting a more assertive US foreign policy in regions where American interests are at stake, including Georgia.