Trump Announces $20 Billion US Investment by Emirati Businessman Hussain Sajwani
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a $20 billion investment in data centers across the United States by DAMAC Properties, an Emirati company led by billionaire Hussain Sajwani, a close business partner of the Trump family. The announcement was made during a news conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
The investment underscores Trump’s strategy of leveraging personal relationships to attract substantial foreign investments into the U.S. economy. It follows a similar announcement last month by Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, who pledged $100 billion for U.S. projects.
Trump emphasized that the commitment was inspired by his election, stating, “He [Sajwani] was very inspired by the election and wouldn't do it without the election.” Trump further highlighted plans to streamline environmental regulatory reviews for investments exceeding $1 billion.
Joining the news conference briefly, Sajwani said, “It’s been amazing news for me and my family when he was elected in November.”
The $20 billion investment aligns with a growing demand for data centers, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and the expanding digital economy. DAMAC Properties, known for luxury real estate in Dubai, will use this opportunity to expand its EDGNEX data center portfolio, which currently includes projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Spain, Thailand, and Indonesia.
This announcement highlights the deep ties between Sajwani and Trump. DAMAC previously partnered with the Trump Organization on the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai and paid significant licensing fees to the Trump brand. Despite setbacks with other Trump-branded projects in the region, Sajwani has credited Trump’s political prominence for boosting DAMAC’s global profile.
Since Trump’s re-election in November, Sajwani has been seen at events at Mar-a-Lago, including a New Year’s Eve celebration alongside Trump and Elon Musk. The Trump Organization has also been pursuing ventures in the Middle East, including a Trump-branded golf course in Oman and a proposed Trump Tower in Dubai.
This $20 billion commitment represents a small but significant fraction of the $1 trillion in domestic investments projected in the U.S. data center sector over the next five years, as estimated by Blackstone.
