The United States is reportedly considering fast-tracking billions in Middle Eastern investments before President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week, raising questions about conflicts of interest.
Five of the world’s 10 most active sovereign wealth funds originate from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The UAE alone accounts for three of those funds. In March, UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed met with Trump and pledged $1.4 trillion in investments over the next decade.
The investment plan includes projects in artificial intelligence, energy, and aluminium manufacturing—such as building the first aluminium smelter in the U.S. in 35 years. A $1.2 billion mining initiative with Abu Dhabi’s ADQ and U.S.-based Orion Resource Partners will target critical minerals across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The largest share of the proposed investments will go into artificial intelligence. Abu Dhabi’s MGX fund has committed $100 billion toward data centers and energy infrastructure to support AI development in the United States.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, pledged $600 billion in U.S. investments within a week of Trump taking office in January. Trump later announced that he had encouraged Riyadh to raise the figure to $1 trillion. His close relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, developed during his first term, continues to play a significant role in these investment plans.
Qatar has also maintained a robust investment presence in the U.S., having pledged $35 billion in 2015 and a further $45 billion in 2019 through its Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Notable investments include $200 million in alternative protein brand EatJust and a 10 percent stake in New York’s Empire State Building.
Conflict of interest concerns
Despite assurances of no direct involvement by the Trump Organization in these deals, ethics watchdogs have raised alarm bells over potential conflicts of interest tied to the president’s upcoming meetings.
The Trump Organization has business interests in all three countries involved. In December, one month after Trump’s election victory, the company announced licensing deals for two new real estate projects in Saudi Arabia. On April 30, it unveiled plans for a luxury golf resort in Qatar.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) issued a statement on Thursday warning, “This trip, where Trump will meet with foreign officials who have the ability to make decisions affecting his company and business partners, poses enormous conflicts of interest for Trump, whose company is engaged in significantly more foreign business than during his first term.”
Unlike during his previous presidency, the Trump Organization has said it will not avoid foreign real estate ventures during Trump’s current term.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes milita...
As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, the organisation faces wars, displacement, climate pressures and deepening ge...
Nearly 130,000 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen in recent weeks as fighting intensifies along the country’s west coast, acco...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, the organisation faces wars, displacement, climate pressures and deepening geopolitical divisions.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is under preliminary investigation in France over a suspected conflict of interest linked to the 2024 sale of Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment