Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and brother of the country’s president, spoke with Trump about a range of issues, including increasing UAE investment in the United States. US President Donald Trump hosted a senior UAE official for dinner at the White House on Tuesday as the Gulf nation seeks to ease access to American technology by investing in the country. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan reported this in his post on the social network X.
Sheikh Tahnoun spoke with Trump about increasing Emirati investment in the United States, technology and energy, according to people familiar with the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussion was not publicly announced. “I conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to US President Donald Trump during a dinner at the White House, attended by senior US and UAE officials, thanking him for his warm welcome and hospitality,” Sheikh Tahnoon said.
Nvidia chips and investment
Trump said their discussions included security in the Middle East, as well as developing economic and technological ties. “The evening demonstrated the long-standing ties and bonds of friendship between our countries,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, which included a photo of the couple in the Oval Office with Vice President J.D. Vance. The UAE has been pushing to buy advanced chips from companies including Nvidia Corp. as part of its bid to become a regional hub for artificial intelligence.
“Our discussions focused on the future of the long-term strategic partnership between our two countries and strengthening our shared vision of prosperity and progress. The UAE remains committed to strengthening economic ties with the US by accelerating investment in artificial intelligence, advanced technology, infrastructure, energy and healthcare – key pillars of sustainable growth and development,” Sheikh Tahnoon said.
While Abu Dhabi has poured vast amounts of capital into data centers used to train AI models, its ambitions have been limited by export restrictions on advanced chips imposed in 2023 under former President Joe Biden. Biden also proposed new rules that would limit the sale of advanced chips in his final days in office. The Trump team is now assessing whether to impose restrictions.
AI Infrastructure Project
People familiar with Sheikh Tahnoun’s plans ahead of his trip said he would seek easier access to chips and highlight the UAE’s plans for tech infrastructure built on American soil. That includes financing from Abu Dhabi-based MGX for a $100 billion AI infrastructure project that Trump unveiled during his first week in office. MGX is part of Sheikh Tahnoun’s sprawling $1.5 trillion empire, which ranges from investment funds to artificial intelligence firm G42 — the crown jewels of the UAE’s tech ambitions.
He is chairman of those ventures, as well as the private equity firm Royal Group and First Abu Dhabi Bank. The approach of the leadership of both countries and their economic policies are a significant impetus to encourage foreign direct investment and strengthen the existing economic partnership between the two nations. “The approach of the leadership of both countries and their economic policies are a significant impetus to encourage foreign direct investment and strengthen the existing economic partnership between the two nations,” Sheikh Tahnun added.