Emirati Billionaire Sajwani Foresees Increased Gulf Investments into U.S. Under Trump’s Second Term
Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, founder of DAMAC Properties, predicts a surge in Gulf investments into the U.S. as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term. Sajwani, a long-time business partner of Trump, announced plans to invest $20 billion in data centers across eight U.S. states, speaking at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The real estate mogul highlighted the pro-business policies of the incoming administration, which he believes will attract more foreign investments, particularly in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) and technology.
Sajwani, whose firm owns the only Trump-branded golf course in the Middle East, stressed that Trump’s policies would foster a more favorable investment climate, aiding in future opportunities for growth in the U.S. Sajwani’s investments extend beyond real estate; he is also an investor in Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI. In December, Sajwani celebrated New Year’s with Trump and Musk, and he was invited to the presidential inauguration on January 20.
According to Forbes, Sajwani’s net worth stands at $5.1 billion. Trump’s business dealings with the Gulf are not limited to Sajwani; Trump-branded projects are also under construction in Saudi Arabia and Oman, and Gulf state-owned funds have investments in Jared Kushner’s firm.
As Gulf countries, particularly the UAE, ramp up investments in AI to become regional leaders, Sajwani’s DAMAC subsidiary EDGNEX plans to build and operate data centers with a 2,000-megawatt capacity across Texas, Arizona, Illinois, and five other states. Sajwani emphasized that favorable access to land, energy, and regulatory processes in the U.S. were key factors in the decision to focus on these locations. The data centers will be funded largely through debt, with DAMAC covering the remaining 30% from its balance sheet.
The proposed investment deal is expected to undergo scrutiny by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), although Sajwani expressed confidence that the incoming administration would streamline regulatory processes to expedite the approval.