Overview
- Company documents show Aryam Investment 1, linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, agreed to buy 49% of World Liberty Financial for $500 million four days before the 2025 inauguration, with Eric Trump signing the deal in what outlets describe as an unprecedented stake by a foreign government–linked figure.
- The first $250 million installment was paid up front, routing about $187 million to Trump family entities and at least $31 million to entities tied to co-founder Steve Witkoff’s family, while two executives connected to Tahnoon’s network later joined World Liberty’s five-member board.
- Reporting places the administration’s subsequent approval of expanded UAE access to advanced U.S. AI chips at roughly 500,000 per year, with a portion slated for G42, though World Liberty denies any link between the investment and U.S. policy decisions.
- World Liberty and the White House say President Trump and Steve Witkoff had no involvement in the transaction, note that Trump’s assets are held in a trust, and assert compliance with ethics rules, with officials saying Witkoff divested and would recuse as required.
- Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, call for investigations and oversight, while key questions remain about how the remaining $250 million of the agreed investment was distributed.