Donald Trump Jr.'s planned visit to Eastern Europe at the end of April 2025?covering Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, and Belgrade?has sparked both anticipation and unease, particularly in light of the current geopolitical climate.
Though he holds no official post in his father's administration, President Donald Trump Jr. remains Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization alongside his brother Eric. Blending business interests with political sway, he uses family ties to strategically choose destinations and interlocutors. Romanian media were the first to leak news of the tour, a move interpreted locally as a provocation?especially given Trump Jr.'s expected support for Georgescu just ahead of Romania's presidential election. Even by American standards, this constitutes a striking intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Geopolitical Context: Trade War and Strategic Messaging
The visit comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and the European Union, as the ongoing trade conflict deepens. Washington's imposition of a 20% tariff on all imports, effective since April 5, 2025, was recently extended for another 90 days. In retaliation, the EU is preparing counter-tariffs worth ?26 billion. Trump Jr.'s Eastern European itinerary is widely interpreted as a signal to Brussels: the U.S. is seeking to circumvent the European Commission through bilateral ties with sympathetic EU member states.
The tour is aimed at identifying Eastern European partners open to diverging from EU policy?particularly those with anti-European or even pro-Russian leanings. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n has already shifted from advocating for EU reform to openly entertaining withdrawal, as pressure mounts both in Brussels and at home. His pivot could prompt similar moves by his ideological counterparts in Slovakia and Bulgaria.
Business and Energy Diplomacy?Informal but Strategic
Though no official itinerary has been released, the trip is expected to revolve around strategic business and foreign policy topics. Notably, Trump Jr. is not a U.S. government official and does not represent agencies like the Department of Defense, State, or Energy. His presence instead reflects the influence of the Trump brand?and the expectation of testing regional leaders' willingness to align with Washington over Brussels in the ongoing U.S.-EU economic conflict.
Aware of the risks of alienating European partners, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to forge bilateral deals, particularly in energy and arms. In Bulgaria, this includes potential agreements involving Westinghouse's AP1000 reactors?projects estimated at tens of billions of dollars?and arms sales projected to exceed billion.
In Serbia and Bulgaria, infrastructure and energy investments may be positioned as counterweights to Chinese influence. Trump Jr. previously labeled China a ?geopolitical threat? during a 2024 visit to Serbia, and similar messaging could surface in Bulgaria. However, given his limited focus on abstract geopolitical themes, more concrete discussions are expected.
The Trump Organization itself rarely funds its ventures directly, relying on licensing and partnerships instead. In Bulgaria, this could translate into mediation on energy deals?particularly involving Russian and American gas via TurkStream. Washington has already proposed that Germany take over Nord Stream 2 and Ukraine its own gas grid. Bulgaria's Vertical Gas Corridor could be repackaged as a vehicle for such schemes.
An announcement of a potential "Trump Tower" or similar real estate venture is also possible. Additionally, local oligarchs may explore collaboration with the Trump family's crypto-related business ventures or leisure projects such as golf resorts.
The Borissov-Peevski Axis
In Bulgaria, former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and DPS figurehead Delyan Peevski are positioning themselves as Trump's key allies in the country. Their goal is to secure backing from the Trump circle?known informally as ?the Family??to support economic ventures, including gas transit projects like TurkStream, which advanced during Trump's first term via Jared Kushner and Saudi-linked contractors.
Borissov has previously claimed that during his 2019 White House visit, Trump personally encouraged him to proceed with the controversial gas pipeline project. Trump Jr. could now act as a conduit to reinforce ties with pro-Orban Bulgarian political and business circles.
With the EU aiming to eliminate Russian gas imports by 2028, preserving TurkStream becomes strategically urgent for its backers in Sofia. Borissov and Peevski are reportedly exploring ways to challenge EU policy indirectly, seeking cooperation models similar to those proposed to Germany and Ukraine. Support from the White House is seen as essential.
Alongside energy deals, the duo is leveraging U.S. interest in Westinghouse's nuclear projects to lobby for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Peevski under the Magnitsky Act. Bulgarian experts like Prof. Georgi Kaschiev have criticized the nuclear plans as economically unjustifiable?each reactor could cost over billion and produce prohibitively expensive electricity. With units 5 and 6 at Kozloduy expected to operate into the late 2040s, there's little need for added capacity domestically.
Nonetheless, lobbying efforts persist, with the Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) under pressure to fast-track approvals despite lacking technical and financial capacity.
Behind the Lobbying Campaign
Bulgaria's administration is reportedly mobilized to shield Peevski from Magnitsky sanctions. Public procurement contracts from Bulgartransgaz, awarded to companies believed to be under his control, fund lobbying efforts in the U.S.?presented as ?business expansion? costs. One of these companies has secured hundreds of millions in contracts spanning TurkStream, the Chiren gas storage site, and the Vertical Gas Corridor.
It's believed that Trump Jr.'s visit is being coordinated via these lobbying networks.
Why Trump Jr.'s Endorsement Matters
Peevski's ambitions?both politically and commercially?are hampered by the Magnitsky sanctions. Alongside Borissov, he seeks a transatlantic patron to replace the role once played by Angela Merkel. Neither Orban nor Erdogan can provide sufficient legitimacy within the EU and NATO context.
EU prosecutors have been investigating key allies of the tandem, including recent scrutiny of Peevski over a 20-million-lev extortion scheme. As such, retaining power?along with its legal immunities?has become essential for Peevski. His public image, shaped by allegations of corruption, makes electoral success improbable without authoritarian tactics and backdoor political arrangements.
The Strategic Use of Trumpism
Borissov and Peevski have invested heavily in cultivating ideological ties with the MAGA movement. They have supported think tanks like Gallup International and contributed to Viktor Orbn's political initiatives?including those tied to Trump Jr.'s visit.
Media under their control are expected to ramp up pro-American, conservative rhetoric, portraying themselves as defenders against ?Soros-style liberalism.? Their goal is to marginalize Bulgaria's pro-European forces and consolidate a new brand of local Trumpism.
A significant milestone came on April 9, 2025, when the DPS-New Beginning party joined the ?Conservatives and Patriots? group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe with Orban's backing. Efforts are also underway for the party to join the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament.
These moves align with Borissov's long-term plans. While he denies presidential ambitions, insiders suggest he would only run if victory were assured. A deal with Peevski?trading party control for the presidency?remains a plausible scenario.
Looking to the Future
Sanctioned oligarchs in Bulgaria and Russia see hope in Trump's return. His past decisions?including blocking the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and offering investor visas for million?have reassured them. In this context, Trump Jr.'s visit could be more than symbolic?it might mark the start of a new chapter in transactional diplomacy that could redefine Bulgaria's geopolitical course.
