NYT Reveals UAE $2B Crypto Investment Tied to AI Chip Deal Approval
The New York Times revealed that after UAE entity MGX (controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed) invested $2 billion in World Liberty Financial—a cryptocurrency venture co-founded by Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff—the White House approved the UAE’s acquisition of hundreds of thousands of advanced U.S. AI chips destined for G42, a Tahnoon-controlled firm. The report, based on interviews with over 75 people, exposed the apparent quid pro quo involving Trump’s AI/crypto czar David Sacks who advocated for the chip deal while the Emiratis poured billions into the Trump family’s crypto business. This represents one of the most brazen pay-to-play schemes in modern presidential history, involving sensitive national security technology and billions in personal enrichment.
Key Actors
Sources (2)
- NYT: UAE Chips Deal Linked to $2B Investment in Trump Family Cryptocurrency Firm - Democracy Now (2025-09-16) [Tier 1]
- NYT: UAE poured billions into Trump-linked crypto firm as U.S. weighed chip deal - The Decoder (2025-09-16) [Tier 2]
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