Trump Wraps Up Gulf Tour with AI Chip Deal, $440B UAE Investment/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump ended his Gulf tour in the UAE by announcing major agreements on AI and energy investment. The UAE will purchase U.S.-made AI semiconductors and boost energy investments in the U.S. to $440 billion by 2035. Trump also confirmed U.S. sanctions on Syria have been lifted to facilitate Gulf-backed deals.
Trump Concludes Gulf Tour with Major AI, Energy Deals: Quick Looks
- Trump wraps up Gulf visit in Abu Dhabi, securing high-profile business agreements in AI and energy.
- UAE to purchase advanced U.S. AI chips, supporting its vision as a global artificial intelligence hub.
- Trump says AI deal “worth billions and billions”, includes safeguards via U.S.-run data centers.
- Etihad Airways commits $14.5B to buy Boeing jets, part of over $200 billion in UAE-related deals.
- UAE pledges to raise U.S. energy investments to $440B, up from $70B by 2035.
- Sultan Al Jaber highlights $60B in new oil & gas projects, with ExxonMobil, Oxy, and EOG Resources involved.
- Trump confirms U.S. lifted sanctions on Syria, enabling $800M deal for Tartous port with DP World.
- Trump urges Syria to normalize ties with Israel, under the Abraham Accords framework.
- Iran has received a U.S. nuclear proposal, Trump warns Tehran to respond swiftly.
- Trump prioritizes economic diplomacy, avoiding regional security flashpoints during Gulf tour.
Trump Wraps Up Gulf Tour with AI Chip Deal, $440B UAE Investment
Deep Look
President Donald Trump concluded a high-stakes Gulf tour on Friday by announcing a suite of landmark agreements between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, including a multi-billion-dollar AI semiconductor deal and a major expansion of Emirati energy investments in the U.S.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Trump described the agreements as a turning point in U.S.-Gulf business relations. “We’re making great progress for the $1.4 trillion the UAE has announced it intends to spend in the United States,” he said, referencing a long-term investment framework first outlined in March.
The centerpiece of the visit was the announcement that the UAE will purchase some of the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence chips from American companies. Trump emphasized the strategic and economic significance of the AI deal:
“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.
The chips, reportedly under strict export controls, will only be used in UAE data centers managed by U.S. companies — a measure designed to address security concerns amid growing tech competition with China.
In addition to the AI announcement, the UAE pledged to increase the value of its investments in the U.S. energy sector to $440 billion by 2035, up from $70 billion. The pledge was made during a presentation by Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi’s state energy firm ADNOC and chair of its investment arm, XRG.
“Our partners have committed new investments worth $60 billion in upstream oil and gas, as well as new and unconventional opportunities,” Al Jaber told Trump. The projects will involve U.S. energy giants including ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources.
Trump also celebrated a $14.5 billion deal with Etihad Airways, which committed to purchasing 28 U.S.-made Boeing aircraft, part of a broader package of UAE business deals totaling over $200 billion.
While Trump’s Gulf tour focused heavily on economic diplomacy, it included notable geopolitical shifts. He confirmed that U.S. sanctions on Syria have been lifted, a decision reportedly influenced by Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic overtures toward Damascus. The move enabled a newly announced $800 million agreement between Syria’s government and Dubai-based DP World to develop the port of Tartous.
Trump dismissed concerns over Israel’s position on the matter. “I didn’t ask them about that,” he said. “I thought it was the right thing to do… We want Syria to succeed.”
Trump also called on Syria’s interim President Ahmed Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered normalization deals between Israel and several Arab nations.
On the Iran front, Trump reaffirmed that Tehran has received a new U.S. proposal aimed at curbing its nuclear program.
“They have a proposal. More importantly, they know they have to move quickly, or something bad’s going to happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving Abu Dhabi. The statement followed his earlier claim that the U.S. and Iran were nearing a breakthrough.
Though security concerns — including ongoing violence in Gaza and rising tensions with Iran — loomed over the region, Trump’s tour focused almost exclusively on trade, investment, and private sector partnerships. Analysts say the administration is betting on economic cooperation to stabilize diplomatic relationships and secure political wins ahead of the next U.S. election cycle.
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