President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Qatar will invest $10 billion in the Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha, which serves as the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. During a speech to U.S. service members stationed at the base, Trump also revealed that Qatar had signed defense agreements worth $42 billion the previous day.
Trump’s motorcade arrived at the base, passing through the desert terrain, with two red Tesla Cybertrucks, used by Qatar’s internal security, among the vehicles. After his visit to Qatar, Trump headed to the United Arab Emirates, where leaders are seeking American support to position the country as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
The U.S. has reached an initial agreement with the UAE that would allow it to import 500,000 advanced AI chips from Nvidia annually, starting this year. The deal is seen as a boost to the UAE’s plans to develop data centers essential for AI models, although there are some national security concerns within the U.S. government, potentially altering the terms of the agreement.
Trump’s Gulf tour has resulted in several business deals, including Qatar Airways’ purchase of up to 210 Boeing jets, a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia, and a $142 billion arms sale to the kingdom. The trip has also been marked by diplomatic efforts, such as Trump’s announcement to lift long-standing sanctions on Syria and his meeting with the interim Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Trump urged Sharaa to open diplomatic relations with Israel, Syria’s historic adversary.
In Abu Dhabi, Trump is set to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other key leaders. AI is expected to be a major focus in the final stages of his visit.
Under the previous administration, strict controls were placed on the export of U.S. AI chips to the Middle East, due to concerns over these technologies being diverted to China, strengthening its military capabilities. If the deals involving Gulf countries, especially the UAE, move forward, the region could become a significant player in the global AI race, alongside the U.S. and China.
While Trump had considered a side trip to Turkey for Russia-Ukraine discussions, a U.S. official confirmed that he would not make that detour before returning to Washington.
