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★ Government Action

White House grants UAE access to advanced AI chips for G42

AI Chip Export PolicyTrump Crypto ConflictsUAE-Trump Nexus

Filed May 2025

★ The Brief

What happened

Around May 2025, the administration agreed to let the United Arab Emirates buy hundreds of thousands of the most advanced American-made computer processors, many destined for a tech conglomerate controlled by the Emirati royal Sheikh Tahnoon, over national-security warnings about diversion to China.

Who enabled it

Who benefits

Deal or steal?

The approval came about two weeks after a UAE sovereign fund controlled by Tahnoon put $2 billion into the Trump and Witkoff families' crypto venture; Steve Witkoff, still financially tied to that venture, pushed inside the administration for the chip access.

Approximately two weeks after the World Liberty Financial investment was announced in May 2025, the White House agreed to grant the UAE access to hundreds of thousands of advanced AI computer chips — among the world's most powerful and scarce — primarily manufactured by U.S. companies including Nvidia. Many of the chips were set to go to G42, a sprawling technology firm personally controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon. The agreement came despite national security concerns within the administration that the chips could ultimately be shared with China. David Sacks, Trump's AI and crypto czar, was a key figure in brokering the chip negotiations; he held a White House ethics waiver allowing him to participate despite concerns from some administration officials about his active role as a venture capitalist. Steve Witkoff, still financially interested in World Liberty Financial, also advocated for granting the Emirates chip access during this same period. The deal's final details were still under discussion as of the article's publication.

Actors

Who pushed it · 4

Who initiated, paid, or pushed the action.

  • David Sacks
    David Sacks

    Served as a key broker in the chip negotiations in his role as Trump's AI and crypto czar, operating under a White House ethics waiver that allowed him to participate despite his continuing work as a Silicon Valley venture capitalist.

  • Donald Trump
    Donald Trump

    As president, authorized the White House agreement to exponentially expand UAE access to advanced AI chips, overriding prior export restrictions despite national security concerns from some administration officials.

  • Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan
    Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan

    Pressed the Trump administration to approve UAE access to advanced AI chips, having previously approached the Biden White House on the same issue; his firm G42 stood to be a primary recipient of the chips.

    Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan has paid into Trump’s orbit:

  • Steve Witkoff
    Steve Witkoff

    Advocated within the administration for granting the Emirates access to AI chips at the same time his family's company, World Liberty Financial, was receiving a $2 billion investment from UAE sovereign wealth controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon.

Beneficiaries

Who gained · 2

Who stood to gain.

  • G42
    G42

    UAE technology conglomerate controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon designated to receive a large portion of the advanced AI chips approved under the White House agreement, despite national security concerns about potential technology transfer to China.

  • United Arab Emirates
    United Arab Emirates

    Received a White House commitment to exponentially increase access to advanced U.S. AI chips, a critical resource in the global race to dominate artificial intelligence.

    United Arab Emirates has paid into Trump’s orbit:

Sources

Further reading