ALBAWABA- U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his Gulf tour Thursday with a high-profile visit to the United Arab Emirates, marking the final leg of a regional trip that included a major economic agreement with Qatar and ambitious new investment pledges from the UAE.
During a ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan lauded the enduring partnership between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
“We are keen to continue deepening this friendship for the benefit of both our nations and peoples,” Sheikh Mohamed said. He announced the UAE's plan to invest $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over the next decade, targeting sectors including energy, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and manufacturing.
Trump echoed the sentiment, saying the UAE “remains committed to working with the United States to advance peace and stability in our region and globally.”
The visit comes after Trump’s stop in Doha, where the White House announced a $1.2 trillion economic agreement with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a deal described as one of the most significant bilateral economic arrangements in recent years.
In Dubai, UAE Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi praised Trump’s negotiation style, calling him “a good-faith, business-minded partner.” “At the end of the day, President Trump is a businessman,” Al Zeyoudi said at the Indo-UAE Conclave, as reported by Al Jazeera. “He listens. If he sees value for the U.S., he will accept it. We must be equally bold and clear in securing our interests.”
Analysts say the UAE is positioning itself as a global AI leader. According to Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, Abu Dhabi is actively pushing for U.S. cooperation on advanced technologies. "This deal is part of the UAE’s broader ambition to become a regional hub for AI, potentially leapfrogging Saudi Arabia in the tech race,” he said.
Reuters also reported that Washington and Abu Dhabi have reached a preliminary agreement allowing the UAE to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s advanced AI chips annually, starting this year, a move that underscores the UAE's strategic pivot toward high-tech infrastructure.
