TLDR
- The UAE invested $500 million in a Trump family cryptocurrency company just days before President Trump’s second inauguration.
- The deal included a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, a company co-owned by the Trump family and Steve Witkoff.
- The Trump administration approved the sale of advanced Nvidia AI processors to the UAE shortly after the investment deal was made.
- Critics argue that the deal raises serious concerns about possible conflicts of interest and foreign influence over U.S. policy.
- Legal experts suggest the deal could violate the U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, questioning the president’s impartiality in office.
A recent cryptocurrency deal between the Trump family and a member of the UAE royal family is raising serious concerns. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a powerful figure in the UAE government, invested $500 million in a Trump family business just days before President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. This investment is now being scrutinized as potential evidence of corruption within the Trump administration.
UAE Investment Raises Ethical Concerns
The controversial deal, which took place in January 2025, saw Sheikh Tahnoon’s investment in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company co-owned by the Trump family. The purchase included a 49% stake in the company for $500 million. Trump-linked businesses received $187 million from the deal, while Steve Witkoff’s companies, co-founder of World Liberty, received $31 million.
Ethics experts quickly voiced concerns over the timing and nature of the deal, especially as it occurred just days before Trump’s inauguration. The transaction has triggered accusations of a conflict of interest, as some question whether the Trump administration’s foreign policy decisions were influenced by this substantial financial backing from the UAE. Critics argue that the deal undermines trust in the administration’s integrity, casting doubt on its commitment to putting American interests first.
Trump Administration Under Scrutiny for AI Chip Exports
Just weeks after the deal, the Trump administration approved the sale of 500,000 advanced Nvidia AI processors to the UAE. This decision raised alarms due to the UAE’s ongoing ties with China, particularly concerning technology transfers. Before this, the Biden administration had blocked similar sales to the UAE over security concerns related to Chinese involvement.
The timing of this decision has led to further suspicions about the potential link between the UAE’s investment in World Liberty Financial and the approval of the AI chip export. Critics, including Richard Briffault, a law professor at Columbia University, warned that such a deal creates a structural conflict of interest. Briffault explained, “We can never be sure why certain decisions are being made,” citing the UAE’s investment in Trump’s business as a potential influence on the administration’s decision-making.
Legal and Ethical Challenges Emerge
Ethics watchdogs have pointed out that Trump’s refusal to divest from his business empire leaves him in a precarious position. Unlike previous presidents, who place their financial assets in a blind trust, Trump handed over control to his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric Trump. The arrangement has raised questions about whether his family’s business dealings are affecting his policy decisions, especially when foreign governments are involved.
Donald Sherman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington called the situation a “blatant, disgraceful conflict of interest.” Sherman emphasized that the deal could potentially violate the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. He further questioned whether the Trump administration was making decisions based on the best interests of the American people or to benefit the UAE and the Trump family’s financial interests.
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