Trump’s administration keeps rewarding his foreign business partners
In at least five instances, the Trump administration has made policy decisions that benefited a foreign company or government linked to the president’s vast financial interests. On issues including data centers, tariffs, the Iran war and Venezuela, Trump administration policy has sometimes borne a striking alignment with the president’s bottom line. The pattern is clear: Trump makes millions from foreign projects and individuals, and they get deals and support from his administration.
Trump reported making more than $2 billion in revenue during his first year back in office, driven by massive expansions to his family’s cryptocurrency and international real estate interests–both of which have appeared to leverage the presidency. The explosion of the president’s wealth has coincided with leaner times for average Americans. Trump’s business interests seeming to factor into administration policy raises questions about whether Trump’s conflicts of interest are increasing costs for everyone else.
Trump administration made oil deals with an Indian company after $10 million payment
Trump’s financial conflict: An arm of Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries (Reliance 4IR Realty Development) that is involved in real estate development paid $10 million in “development fees” in 2024 to Trump’s company for a “license agreement” on a project in Mumbai. In 2025, Reliance paid an additional $1.5 million for another development in Hyderabad. Neither deal has been formally announced.
Trump administration actions: In February 2026, the Trump administration granted Reliance a lucrative Venezuelan oil license. Then, in March 2026, Trump announced on Truth Social that Reliance was opening a $300 billion oil refinery in Brownsville, Texas—calling it the “FIRST new U.S. Oil Refinery in 50 YEARS.” He credited his administration’s “America First Agenda” for “streamlining Permits, and lowering Taxes, that have attracted Billions of Dollars in Deals coming back to our Nation.”
Trump backed Emirati business partner’s data center initiative, then reported receiving millions for new joint developments
Trump’s financial conflict: An Emirati luxury real estate company called DAMAC Properties has been a business partner of the Trump Organization since 2013, having worked on two Trump-branded developments in Dubai. Trump’s most recent financial disclosure revealed that DAMAC Properties dramatically boosted their payments to Trump during his first year back in office–paying $12.5 million to Trump’s companies.
Trump administration actions: Shortly before he took office, President Trump appeared alongside Hussain Sajwani, the chairman of DAMAC Properties at a Mar-a-Lago press conference. Sajwani announced that his company would spend at least $20 billion to develop data centers in the U.S., and Trump suggested he could secure expedited reviews for the projects. Trump has followed through on his support for data center projects, including an executive order aimed at easing permitting and calls on Truth Social to “let Data Reign,” while a subsidiary of DAMAC Properties called DAMAC Digital is working to build data centers in Canton, Ohio and Edgerton, Kansas. Both communities have pushed back on the development plans. The city of Edgerton sued its own residents over a petition opposing the development.
UAE granted access to secret chip technology after “Spy Sheikh” crypto investment
Trump’s financial conflict: Four days before Trump’s inauguration, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan purchased a major ownership stake in the Trump family’s crypto company. A Tahnoon-backed company invested $500 million dollars to purchase a 49 percent stake in World Liberty Financial. Tahnoon serves as UAE national security advisor and is known as the “Spy Sheikh.” He is also the brother of the UAE’s president. The investment by a foreign official in a company co-owned by the incoming U.S. president has no precedent in American history. Trump reported making nearly $800 million in revenue from World Liberty Financial in 2025.
Trump administration actions: In May 2025, the Trump administration agreed to grant the UAE access to Nvidia AI chips, despite national security concerns that the deal could result in China gaining access to the technology. Of particular concern to U.S. officials were the roughly 20 percent of chips the agreement would grant to G42, an Abu Dhabi AI firm chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon. In November 2025, the Commerce Department approved the sale of up to 35,000 chips to G42. In July 2026, they loosened restrictions on sharing the technology with UAE firms, including G42.
Trump dropped tariffs after golf tournament at his Irish course
Trump’s financial conflict: In September, Trump’s Doonbeg resort hosted the Irish Open. Ireland’s premier golf tournament, Trump and his family had been advocating to host the event there since at least last summer. Trump told reporters in July 2025 he was “looking to get” the tournament at his property. Trump Organization Executive Vice President Eric Trump later traveled to Ireland, where he sought government support for Doonbeg to host the tournament. Hosting the Irish Open at Doonbeg adds to the property’s prestige and increases Trump’s bottom line. Last year Doonbeg brought in close to $20 million, according to Trump’s personal financial disclosure.
Trump administration actions: At the tournament’s closing ceremony Trump announced he would remove the 10% U.S. tariff charge on Irish whiskey products. Irish whiskey is currently affected by the standard tariff Trump imposed on most imports from the European Union. Ireland has been at a competitive disadvantage with the United Kingdom since May, when Trump removed tariffs on U.K. exports of whiskey. Negotiations to remove the tariffs are still ongoing.
Trump admin agreed to sell fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, where four Trump-branded developments are being built
Trump’s financial conflict: Since Trump won back the White House, the Trump Organization has announced plans for three new Trump-branded developments in Saudi Arabia. A fourth development, announced shortly before the election, is also being built during Trump’s second term. One of those developments will be located in Diriyah, a development backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Trump reported $9 million in revenue from projects linked to Saudi Arabia on his financial disclosure covering 2025.
Trump administration actions: In September 2026, Trump’s State Department announced it had approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, in spite of widespread concerns among intelligence officers. President Trump announced the sale the day before Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who had long sought the jets, visited the White House in November 2025.