The withdrawal of USAID, including from Georgia, forced other funds to at least partially replace the disappearing dollars with euros, and it is precisely this diminished protest that we are seeing today, writes the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament on the social network.

"Before the inauguration of new president [Donald Trump], outgoing leadership gave full approval for protests and attempts at another "colour revolution" in Tbilisi. Georgian law enforcement worked tirelessly to maintain order, protect public safety, defend Parliament building from assaults on Rustaveli Avenue. Many demonstrators, officers were injured during violent clashes.

We also remember how certain diplomats, who had previously spoken loudly before the elections, remained conspicuously silent during the unrest. Inspired by these diplomats, aggressive demonstrators acted with impunity. Rather than discouraging the opposition’s false narrative, some in the diplomatic corps effectively encouraged it. For the 1st time in Georgian history, a demonstrator threw a Molotov cocktail at a police officer, setting him on fire, and was later hailed as a hero by the opposition. As a result, Rustaveli Avenue witnessed literal firefights.

In a complete surprise to many, President Trump publicly announced the end of a harmful practice employed by the American government in the international arena through USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy [NED], which had been dubbed “soft power”. The new administration’s distinct approach to international trade, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and genuine American interests have starkly challenged globalist forces and warring factions.

President Trump made significant efforts to establish a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine, although resistance remains. He disbanded USAID as an institution that undermined US long-term interests and initiated a process to ensure transparency in the foreign funding of American higher education institutions. The removal of USAID as a major donor from the international arena, including in Georgia, compelled other funding sources to at least partially offset the dollars that had vanished, replaced with euros.

It is precisely this diminished protest that we observe today, still struggling to gain traction with a bankrupt agenda. This unfolding process is intriguing as it reveals the emerging structures and mechanisms of American interests. The new administration is effectively dismantling the so-called “deep state,” which will lead to non-interference in the domestic politics of other nations, whether through soft or hard power.

This shift could foster consideration of the partners` interests. However, it may result in the elimination of only discredited and bankrupt instruments, while in return, we will receive mechanisms of influence aimed at similar objectives, albeit in a transformed guise”, - writes Shalva Papuashvili.