U.S. President Donald Trump announced over $200 billion in new deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), further strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence. The agreements include a $14.5 billion investment by Etihad Airways for Boeing aircraft and the creation of a "US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership." A 5GW AI campus—slated to be the largest outside the U.S.—was also unveiled.
Trump, meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, praised the deepening relationship and reaffirmed a $1.4 trillion UAE investment pledge over the next decade. Key deals involve Emirates Global Aluminum investing $4 billion in a U.S. aluminum smelter, and energy giants ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources partnering with Abu Dhabi’s national oil firm on $60 billion worth of oil and gas projects.
In a significant AI breakthrough, the UAE secured a preliminary agreement to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s advanced AI chips annually, following past restrictions. The deal includes commitments to align UAE’s national security regulations with U.S. standards and build U.S.-based data centers equivalent to those in the Gulf.
Trump’s broader Gulf tour also saw Qatar pledge $10 billion toward a U.S. military base and Boeing finalize a major jet deal with Qatar Airways. Saudi Arabia committed $600 billion in U.S. investments, with $142 billion in defense contracts.
Trump hinted at a possible stop in Istanbul for Ukraine-related talks and met with Syria’s interim president, urging ties with Israel after lifting sanctions. With its expanding AI ambitions and tech imports, the UAE is emerging as a major player in the global AI race, positioning itself alongside the U.S. and China.