Former U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his Gulf tour on Friday with a series of landmark announcements, including a new pathway for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to acquire advanced U.S.-made artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors and a pledge by Abu Dhabi to raise its energy investments in the U.S. to $440 billion over the next decade.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Trump described the deals as a significant milestone in strengthening U.S.-UAE economic ties. “We work together and the money that’s made here comes back to us,” Trump said. “We’ve made it work… There’s no more wooing, I think we’re in pretty good shape.”
One of the central outcomes of Trump’s trip was the finalization of an agreement allowing the UAE to purchase some of the world’s most advanced AI semiconductors from American technology firms. The chips will be used to support the Gulf state’s ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence. According to Trump, the agreement ensures that data centers handling these chips will be managed by U.S. firms to maintain security and oversight. “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,” he said.
Trump also touted the broader commercial ties between the two nations, highlighting over $200 billion in agreements secured during the tour. Among them is a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to purchase 28 Boeing aircraft powered by GE engines—an investment the White House said would bolster U.S. exports and manufacturing.
The energy sector was another focal point of the visit. During a presentation to Trump, Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of ADNOC and chairman of its investment arm XRG, announced that the UAE will boost its investment in the U.S. energy sector from $70 billion to $440 billion by 2035. He also revealed $60 billion in new commitments from U.S. firms for upstream oil and gas projects in the UAE, naming ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources among the partners.
In March, the UAE had already outlined a broader $1.4 trillion, 10-year investment framework with the U.S., covering AI, energy, and manufacturing.
Though focused primarily on economic cooperation, Trump’s Gulf tour also included diplomatic overtures. In Riyadh, he met with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and announced that the U.S. would lift sanctions on Syria at the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—marking a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy.
Trump’s whirlwind visit, encompassing Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, has underscored deepening financial and strategic cooperation between the U.S. and Gulf nations, with technology and energy at the center of evolving ties.
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