Shocking Deal: UAE Buys Stake in Trump’s Crypto Venture – What Could Go Wrong?

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Key Highlights

  • A mysterious entity from the UAE, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, acquired 49% of a crypto firm linked to Trump for a whopping $500 million just before the grand inauguration of 2025.
  • A significant chunk of this cash found its way into the pockets of Trump and his business partners, while the Emirati tech lords flexed their muscles on the board.
  • Just months later, the U.S. decided to open the gates and let the UAE waltz in with advanced AI chips, crucial for dominating the global AI stage.

Behold, three titanic forces dance together under the spotlight: foreign funds, a Trump-associated cryptocurrency enterprise, and the U.S. playing gatekeeper over shiny AI technology. Just days before Donald Trump sashayed back into the White House in January 2025, an Abu Dhabi-based investment vehicle made a clandestine leap forward.

As reported by the illustrious WSJ, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan-one of those power-brokers in the UAE, and national security adviser extraordinaire-struck a deal to snag a 49% piece of the Trump family’s cryptocurrency pie, known as World Liberty Financial (WLF).

This $500 million bonanza-wherein $187 million slipped directly into Trump family coffers-happened to coincide with the UAE’s impressive lobbying efforts to unlock access to super-secretive U.S. artificial intelligence chips.

The “Spy Sheikh” and His Half-Billion Dollar Play

Sheikh Tahnoon, affectionately dubbed the “Spy Sheikh” (because who doesn’t love a good spy movie?), presides over a $1.3 trillion empire, including the cutting-edge AI firm G42 and the investment behemoth MGX.

Half of this investment was tossed about like confetti at a wedding, with around $187 million earmarked for Trump-connected enterprises, and other millions greasing the palms of various co-founders’ families.

Ah, but the plot thickens: $31 million was designated for the entourage of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy and WLF co-founder. Executives from Sheikh’s technological kingdom gained seats on WLF’s board, transforming them into the powerful, outside owners of this venture.

A “Coup” for UAE: Chips for Crypto?

The timing of this investment raises eyebrows higher than a cat on a hot tin roof, sparking debates about conflicts of interest and national security. For ages, the U.S. had barred the UAE from getting its hands on advanced AI chips, fearing they might slip through to China-thanks to Tahnoon’s G42.

Two months after this deal was inked, Tahnoon had an audience with President Trump and Witkoff at the White House. By May 2025, the Trump administration had pledged to shower the UAE with 500,000 advanced AI chips each year-enough to create one of the world’s largest AI playgrounds.

Before the chip deal, CEO Zach Witkoff of WLF announced that Tahnoon’s MGX would wield WLF’s stablecoin to orchestrate a $2 billion investment into the Binance exchange. Quite the financial tango!

“Ridiculous and Un-American”: The Defense

World Liberty Financial and the White House vehemently waved their flags of innocence, denying any foul play or political influence.

Spokesman David Wachsman chimed in, declaring, “The notion that a privately held American company should be shackled by unique standards when raising capital is both ridiculous and un-American.” Ah, the irony!

White House representatives emphasized that President Trump’s assets are nestled safely in a trust, lovingly managed by his offspring, while Witkoff has neatly untangled himself from World Liberty Financial to avoid any whiff of conflict.

Sources close to our dear Sheikh maintain that this investment was merely a “business decision,” never discussed directly with President Trump during the due diligence process. How convenient!

This deal marks the first known instance of a foreign government official taking a nearly half-ownership stake in a sitting U.S. President’s private enterprise. While the Trump Organization has long courted international real estate deals, the fusion of sovereign wealth, national security policy (AI chips), and decentralized finance (WLF) creates a riveting new chapter in the saga of political-financial entanglements.

How Power Moves In Modern Economy?

First, large investments in digital assets have evolved from mere whimsical bets; they now mold financial systems, forge new currencies, and dictate how nations and corporations shuffle capital across borders.

Second, AI chips have ascended to become the crown jewels of the global economy. These tiny marvels are essential for constructing advanced artificial intelligence.

Third, foreign funds have burrowed deep into the roots of governmental decision-making. When mighty overseas investors entwine themselves with political figures, the line between business decisions and public policy blurs-legality aside.

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2026-02-02 18:26