By Staff Writer
Abu Dhabi, UAE — In a high-profile visit to the Gulf region, former President Donald J. Trump announced more than $200 billion in new commercial agreements between the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking a significant leap in bilateral economic relations and boosting the total investment commitments in the region to over $2 trillion.The announcement, made during a business summit in Abu Dhabi, highlights a sweeping series of agreements that span multiple sectors—from aerospace and energy to digital technology and nuclear power—reaffirming Trump’s emphasis on “America First” trade diplomacy and economic nationalism.
A Wave of Strategic Deals
Among the marquee announcements:
- Etihad Airways committed $14.5 billion to acquire 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines. The deal supports an estimated 60,000 U.S. jobs and cements America’s role as a key player in the global aviation sector.
- Emirates Global Aluminum will break ground in Oklahoma on a $4 billion aluminum smelter, the first of its kind in nearly half a century. The project promises 1,000 American jobs and a dramatic expansion in U.S. aluminum production capacity.
- Energy giants ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources will join forces with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on a $60 billion initiative to expand oil and gas production. The venture is set to drive energy security and job creation across both nations.
- A high-tech Gallium project led by RTX and UAE partners aims to secure critical mineral supplies vital for semiconductors and defense technologies. The project is expected to strengthen domestic manufacturing and national security infrastructure.
- Qualcomm will expand its international reach with a new Global Engineering Center in Abu Dhabi, focused on AI, IoT, and cloud technologies, while simultaneously supporting high-skilled tech jobs and research in the U.S.
- Holtec International, in collaboration with IHC Industrial Holding Company, has inked a $30 billion commitment to build and deploy advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMR-300) across the United States—beginning at the Palisades site in Michigan.
- A partnership between Amazon Web Services, e&, and the UAE Cybersecurity Council will launch a Sovereign Cloud initiative, poised to inject $181 billion into the UAE’s digital economy and drive demand for American-developed cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure.
“These aren’t just deals—they’re blueprints for lasting American prosperity,” President Trump declared during the announcement ceremony. “Every agreement we sign means more jobs, stronger industries, and greater national security for the United States.”
Cementing a $1.4 Trillion Investment Framework
Today’s deals also represent an acceleration of the $1.4 trillion, 10-year investment commitment first announced in March. A key feature of that framework is a newly signed U.S.-UAE Artificial Intelligence Agreement, which mandates the UAE to invest in building high-performance data centers in the U.S. and aligns their national security regulations more closely with Washington’s.
“This agreement ensures that America remains dominant in artificial intelligence and safeguards our technology from adversarial misuse,” Trump noted.
A Strategic Partnership Deepens
The UAE has long stood as one of America’s most reliable commercial and defense allies in the Middle East. Bilateral trade reached $34.4 billion in 2024, including a $19.5 billion U.S. surplus—America’s third largest globally. UAE foreign direct investment in the U.S. stood at $35 billion last year, supporting more than 33,000 American jobs.
Trump emphasized that this progress builds on the foundations laid during his first term, particularly the historic Abraham Accords, which opened new diplomatic and economic avenues in the region.
A Legacy of Global Deal-Making
The $200 billion UAE package follows Trump’s previously secured agreements with Saudi Arabia ($600 billion) and Qatar ($1.2 trillion), and comes just days after the announcement of new trade pacts with the United Kingdom and China.
“While it took the Biden Administration four years to claim $1 trillion in investment commitments, we’ve done double that in just a month,” Trump said, framing the deals as the dawn of “a new Golden Age” of American prosperity.
As investment commitments surge and job-creating projects take shape, Trump continues to pitch himself as the consummate dealmaker, able to outpace his rivals and realign America’s global economic standing.
“This isn’t about politics—it’s about the future of the American worker,” Trump concluded. “And we’re just getting started.”
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