United States President Donald Trump has denied knowledge of the reported $500 million investment by the UAE in World Liberty Financial. Trump UAE stake concerns have sparked debate over potential foreign influence in a company closely linked to the Trump family.
The investment reportedly involved Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s company acquiring a 49% share in World Liberty. The transaction allegedly occurred just four days before Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. During a media appearance, Trump said, “I don’t know about it. I know that crypto is a big thing.”
Trump added, “My sons are handling that, my family is handling it. I guess they get investments from different people.” The comments followed reports that Eric Trump signed off on the deal.
World Liberty Financial has faced scrutiny over previous controversies, and the reported UAE investment raises new questions. According to sources cited by financial documents, Aryam Investment 1, backed by Sheikh Tahnoon, contributed an initial $250 million. Of that, $187 million went to entities linked to the Trump family, while $31 million went to the founders, Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
If accurate, Aryam would become World Liberty’s largest external shareholder. Observers are concerned about foreign government influence given Sheikh Tahnoon’s role as UAE national security advisor. He also chairs AI conglomerate Group 42, which recently received U.S. approval to purchase advanced chips from Nvidia and AMD.
The timing of the deal has drawn attention. Executed on January 16, 2025, it occurred four days before Trump took office. Analysts note the close U.S.-UAE relationship, adding complexity to the investment’s geopolitical implications.
Earlier, the Trump family had reduced its stake in World Liberty from 75% in December 2024 to 40% by June 2025. Reports suggested the sale may have generated $190 million, benefiting Donald Trump personally.
Lawmakers are increasingly scrutinizing the project. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently called for regulators to pause the review of WLFI’s banking charter due to potential conflicts of interest involving the president.
Trump’s UAE stake remains under intense public and political attention. The developments could influence regulatory reviews and raise questions about transparency, ownership, and foreign involvement in U.S.-linked companies.
