{"id":2607974,"date":"2026-05-28T16:45:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backs-armenian-leader-after-country-pivots-to-align-with-us\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T16:47:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:47:26","slug":"trump-backs-armenian-leader-after-country-pivots-to-align-with-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backs-armenian-leader-after-country-pivots-to-align-with-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump backs Armenian leader after country pivots to align with US"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-backs-armenian-leader-after-country-pivots-to-align-with-us%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2607974&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump has formally endorsed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ahead of Armenia\u2019s June 7 election, calling him a \u201cgreat friend and Leader\u201d and praising his push to make Armenia \u201cstrong, wealthy, and very secure.\u201d The endorsement highlights Pashinyan\u2019s shift in foreign policy away from Armenia\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/frances-renault-plans-no-big-price-cuts-despite-tesla-challenge\/\" title=\"France\u2019s Renault plans no big price cuts despite Tesla challenge\">long-standing alliance<\/a> with Russia and toward closer ties with the United States, the West, and relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan.  <\/p>\n<p>Trump also pointed to the \u201cTrump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,\u201d a U.S.-controlled corridor linking Azerbaijan with its exclave Nakhchivan, arguing it could transform the South Caucasus and expand energy access to Central Asia. Trump said Pashinyan has his \u201cCOMPLETE and TOTAL\u201d endorsement for re-election in 2026, while Pashinyan publicly thanked Trump.  <\/p>\n<p>Although Pashinyan faces low approval ratings, opponents appear fractured, and he remains favored in polling. The article notes that Pashinyan\u2019s approach has included sharply reversing positions on Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Turkey, including claims that Nagorno-Karabakh never belonged to Armenia.The campaign has been shaped by allegations of foreign interference: the opposition accuses Pashinyan of being influenced by Western and Turkish interests, while his camp says the opposition is tied to Russia. A foreign policy expert quoted in the piece argues that Trump\u2019s endorsement constitutes \u201cblatant interference,\u201d and that both sides use \u201chybrid war\u201d narratives to frame election influence.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> formally endorsed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/armenia\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3748\">Armenian<\/a> Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, ahead of the most important election in Armenia\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pashinyan has completely reinvented the small nation\u2019s foreign policy, drifting away from its long-lasting alliance with Russia and towards friendly relations with the United States, the West, and its longtime rivals, Turkey and Azerbaijan. On Wednesday, ahead of the June 7 election, Trump fully endorsed Pashinyan, hailing him as a \u201cgreat friend and Leader\u201d who was making Armenia \u201cstrong, wealthy, and very secure!\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4585472\/board-of-peace-not-hoarding-lump-sums-collect-as-necessary\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Board of Peace won\u2019t \u2018hoard\u2019 $1 billion pledges as lump sum and will \u2018collect the funds necessary\u2019 as Gaza rebuilds<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4585710\/netanyahu-israel-military-take-over-70-percent-gaza\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Netanyahu says he directed Israel\u2019s military to take over 70% of Gaza<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4585591\/israel-cuts-ties-un-secretary-general-sexual-violence-blacklist\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Israel cuts ties with UN secretary-general after Guterres added country to sexual violence blacklist<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNikol completely shares my vision of PEACE and PROSPERITY for Armenia and the entire South Caucasus region,\u201d Trump said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116648998520896910\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116648998520896910\">post<\/a> on Truth Social, hailing progress made during Secretary of State Marco Rubio\u2019s visit to Armenia earlier this week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The president said the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a U.S.-controlled corridor linking Azerbaijan with its isolated territory, would allow Nakhchivan to \u201ctransform the South Caucasus\u201d while helping U.S. energy companies gain access to Central Asia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor these reasons, Nikol has my COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement for Re-Election on June 7, 2026,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWith Nikol\u2019s help, we will bring the United States, Armenia, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia to greater heights than ever before. Make (Armenia) Great Again \u2014 MAGA!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThank you, President @realDonaldTrump for the high appreciation and friendly words,\u201d Pashinyan said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NikolPashinyan\/status\/2059833168933306750?s=20\">post<\/a> on X, alongside heart emojis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pashinyan, though boasting dismal approval ratings, is currently favored to win the election in polling, given the fractured and listless nature of his opposition. He previously won a snap election in June 2021, just months after suffering a catastrophic military defeat in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War against Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pashinyan has implemented the complete transformation of Armenia\u2019s position in the region and the world, going from a de facto protectorate of Russia to one bordering on hostility. His overtures towards the U.S. and the European Union have intensified over the past year due to the efforts of the Trump administration, which brokered a preliminary peace deal to end the decades-long Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even more radically, over the past several months, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >prime minister completely reversed<\/a> his position on Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Turkey. He has begun insisting that Nagorno-Karabakh never belonged to Armenia, a hugely unpopular notion in his country, and one that has sparked verbal battles with citizens in public. He\u2019s also begun pitching Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia\u2019s historical enemies, as natural friends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2026 election campaign has been dominated by competing allegations of foreign interference. The opposition claims Pashinyan is controlled by Western and Turkish interests, while Pashinyan\u2019s camp claims the opposition is controlled by Russian interests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMuch of the political contest in Armenia has been framed by the ruling party and its satellites as a struggle between the forces of democracy and reactionaries, who want to drag Armenia back to its undemocratic past,\u201d Lehigh University Professor Arman Grigoryan, an expert in Armenian foreign policy and international relations, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cIt has simultaneously been used to make a case for changing Armenia\u2019s strategic orientation, i.e., distancing the country from Russia and integrating with the West, which, of course, has been presented as a choice between democracy and authoritarianism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4542471\/armenia-attempts-israel-relations-domestic-outrage\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4542471\">ARMENIA\u2019S ATTEMPTS TO WARM TO ISRAEL MET WITH DOMESTIC OUTRAGE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the recent flurry of interest from the Trump administration has been popular among more Western-inclined Armenians, the visits of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-bidens-education-department-has-closer-ties-to-crt-group-than-they-admit\/\" title=\"REPORT: Biden\u2019s Education Department Has ... To CRT Group Than They Admit\">high-ranking officials<\/a> and open political endorsements have provided ample ammunition for his critics. Grigoryan described Trump\u2019s endorsement of Pashinyan as \u201cblatant interference in the electoral process in Armenia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAny criticism directed at [Pashinyan], or any opposition to them for that matter, is framed as a case of \u2018hybrid war\u2019 by Russia, which is a term designed to describe concealed Russian interference in the Armenian elections, while the West is doing it openly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump backs Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan ahead of key election<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2607975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Aliyev-Trump-Pashinyan-e1779999777444.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[39844,80421,37066,3634,36408],"class_list":["post-2607974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-armenia","tag-armenian-leader","tag-diplomatic-relations","tag-trump","tag-us-foreign-policy"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Aliyev-Trump-Pashinyan-e1779999777444.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607974"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607978,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607974\/revisions\/2607978"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}