UAE Commits to $1.4 Trillion Investment Framework in the US Over 10 Years
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the United States, following high-level meetings between UAE officials and President Donald Trump this week, the White House announced on Friday.
The investment framework aims to “substantially increase the UAE’s existing investments in the U.S. economy,” with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing, according to a White House statement. However, the statement did not provide detailed specifics on how the $1.4 trillion figure would be achieved, as some of the deals included in the framework had already been announced.
One of the new initiatives highlighted in the framework is a project by Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to build the first new aluminum smelter in the U.S. in 35 years. The White House noted that this facility “would nearly double U.S. domestic aluminum production.” A spokesperson for EGA confirmed that developing a primary aluminum smelter in the U.S. has been a long-term goal for the company.
The UAE, a major oil producer and a longstanding security partner of the U.S., is seeking to strengthen its investment ties with Washington. The Gulf nation is also positioning itself as a global leader in AI, a sector it views as critical to diversifying its economy beyond energy.
In September, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with former U.S. President Joe Biden during the first visit by a UAE president to the White House. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation in areas such as AI, investments, and space exploration.
Gulf sovereign wealth funds, including Abu Dhabi’s $330 billion Mubadala Investment Company, are already significant investors in the U.S. President Trump and his family also have established business ties to the region.
Earlier this year, Trump urged Saudi Arabia to invest over $1 trillion in the U.S. economy over four years, including purchases of military equipment. He also indicated that he might make his first international trip as president to the Gulf nation to finalize an investment agreement.
The potential deal with Saudi Arabia, expected to be finalized in the coming months, comes as the kingdom plays an increasingly prominent role in U.S. foreign policy. Saudi Arabia is set to host diplomatic talks involving the U.S. and Russia next week, focusing on the conflict in Ukraine.
The UAE investment framework follows a meeting between President Trump and UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Oval Office on Tuesday. The agreement was further solidified during a dinner hosted by Vice President JD Vance and several cabinet members with the UAE delegation, which included leaders of major UAE sovereign wealth funds and corporations.
Among the partnerships highlighted in the framework is a $25 billion initiative between UAE sovereign wealth fund ADQ, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon, and U.S. private equity firm Energy Capital Partners. This initiative, focused on energy infrastructure and data centers, was announced earlier this week.
Additionally, XRG, the international investment arm of UAE state oil company ADNOC, has committed to supporting U.S. natural gas production and exports through an investment in the NextDecade liquefied natural gas export facility in Texas. This commitment was initially disclosed last year under the Biden administration.
The UAE’s $1.4 trillion investment framework underscores the deepening economic ties between the two nations and highlights the Gulf state’s ambition to expand its global influence in key sectors such as AI, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
