U.S. President Donald Trump, during his recent Gulf tour, announced a series of transformative investment deals with the United Arab Emirates, including a pivotal agreement enabling the Gulf nation to purchase cutting-edge artificial intelligence semiconductors from American companies. This development marks a significant leap in the UAE’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in AI.
Trump wrapped up his multi-country trip — which included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — by confirming that Abu Dhabi has pledged to increase its energy investments in the U.S. to an astonishing $440 billion over the next ten years. The initiative is part of broader bilateral economic cooperation that Trump hailed as mutually beneficial.
Among the deals announced, national carrier Etihad Airways committed to a $14.5 billion investment in 28 U.S.-made Boeing aircraft, forming a key portion of the total $200 billion in commercial agreements unveiled during the tour. Trump emphasized the reciprocal nature of the partnership, stating, “We work together and the money that’s made here comes back to us,” during a press conference with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi.
Highlighting the global competition for strategic partnerships in AI and energy, Trump noted that while other nations had courted the UAE, the strength of the U.S.-UAE relationship ensured their continued collaboration. The UAE’s increasing interest in U.S.-based technology signals a strategic pivot amidst its balancing act between global powers.
According to Reuters, the AI semiconductor agreement was finalized on Thursday and is seen as a major vote of confidence by the Trump administration. It includes provisions to ensure data security by mandating that relevant data centers be operated by U.S. companies.
“This will generate billions and billions of dollars in business and accelerate the UAE’s plans to become a really major player in artificial intelligence,” Trump said. The UAE, which has been strengthening economic ties with both the U.S. and China, views this move as critical to its AI ambitions.
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The energy investments were disclosed during a high-profile presentation by Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of ADNOC and executive chairman of XRG, to Trump. The commitment aims to scale UAE’s existing $70 billion U.S. energy portfolio to $440 billion by 2035. Additionally, U.S. energy giants like ExxonMobil, Occidental, and EOG Resources are set to increase their footprints in the UAE’s upstream and unconventional oil and gas ventures.
Earlier in March, UAE officials had already agreed on a $1.4 trillion, 10-year investment plan covering sectors like AI, energy, and manufacturing — further demonstrating the Gulf state’s long-term economic vision. Trump reiterated that these deals underline “great progress” in strengthening bilateral trade and technological cooperation.
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Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based solely on publicly available reports from reliable news sources. No part of this content should be considered as financial, political, or investment advice.
