In May 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump landed in the UAE to more than just applause and ceremony — he arrived with CEOs, deals, and data ambitions. The visit wasn’t about diplomacy alone; it signaled a bold alignment between Washington and Abu Dhabi in tech, AI, and infrastructure.
The numbers are massive. But behind the billions lie strategic shifts that could reshape power in the global economy. Here’s what really happened — and why it matters.
$2 Trillion in the Region — and Rising
The UAE’s $200 billion, covering aerospace, clean energy, and chip supply chains, in new deals announced during the visit are just part of the picture. The Trump-led delegation has now secured over $2 trillion in investment pledges from the Gulf:
- $600 billion from Saudi Arabia
- $1.2 trillion from Qatar (including $243.5 billion in U.S.-Qatar commercial and defense deals)
- $1.4 trillion from the UAE, supports commitment secured in March (plus the $200 billion commercial deals)
Energy alone is becoming a major bilateral focus. UAE’s Minister Al Jaber announced that UAE investments in the U.S. energy sector will grow from $70 billion to $440 billion by 2035. He also confirmed a $60 billion commitment to new oil and gas exploration — both in the U.S. and unconventional ventures inside the UAE.
This isn’t just Gulf money pouring into America. It’s a reciprocal relationship. U.S. firms like Microsoft and Oracle are preparing to expand their presence in the region — both as cloud providers and AI players. The chips shipped to Abu Dhabi may just power the next wave of American-trained models, running from servers based in the desert.
The AI Arms Deal
One of the most surprising outcomes was a green light for the UAE to acquire U.S.-made advanced AI chips, including Nvidia’s coveted H100 semiconductors. These chips are the foundation of everything from ChatGPT to autonomous weapons, and Washington has previously blocked exports to China and other nations.
The UAE will now receive up to 500,000 units per year through 2027 — the deal called for 20% of the chips, or 100,000 of them per year, to go to UAE’s tech firm G42, while the rest would be split among U.S. companies with massive AI operations like Microsoft, and Oracle that might also seek to build data centers in the UAE, the sources said.
In partnership with U.S. tech firms and Emirati AI company G42, the UAE will build a 10-square-mile, 5-gigawatt AI data center campus in Abu Dhabi. This will be the largest AI hub outside of North America, designed to power model training, simulations, and global cloud operations.
It’s more than just infrastructure. It’s about data sovereignty. The Gulf wants to run AI — not just rent it.
Disney Expansion
Meanwhile, in a move no one expected, Disney and Miral will co-develop a new theme park in Abu Dhabi — the first full Disney property in the Middle East. The project will blend Disney storytelling with Emirati cultural elements and is rumored to include regional-exclusive characters and attractions. It’s both a cultural partnership and a long-term tourism play for both countries.
Conclusion
Trump’s UAE trip wasn’t just about politics — it was about repositioning alliances in a world dominated by data, chips, and platforms. For the UAE, it was a global tech debut. For Trump, it was a signal to both Wall Street and Washington: business is his foreign policy.
Prepared by Navruzakhon Burieva
