US President Donald Trump was expected to conclude a short visit to Qatar on Thursday with an address to American troops before flying to the United Arab Emirates, where Emirati leaders are seeking US support to transform the oil-rich Gulf state into a global artificial intelligence powerhouse.

The US has a preliminary deal with the UAE to allow the country to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips annually starting this year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The arrangement would significantly support the UAE’s ongoing efforts to build data centres crucial for developing and running large-scale AI models. However, sources say the agreement has raised national security concerns within some parts of the US government and could still be revised.

Trump’s four-day tour of the Gulf region has seen a wave of business activity. Highlights include a deal for Qatar Airways to purchase up to 210 Boeing widebody aircraft, a $600 billion Saudi pledge to invest in the US, and $142 billion in US arms sales to Riyadh.

The trip has also involved high-level diplomacy. On Tuesday, Trump unexpectedly announced that the US would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria and subsequently held talks with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

On Thursday, Trump is scheduled to address US troops at Al Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha and home to the largest US military installation in the Middle East. He will then head to Abu Dhabi to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior officials, with AI expected to be a key focus of the discussions.

During the administration of former President Joe Biden, tight restrictions were placed on the export of advanced US AI chips to the Middle East, largely out of concern that the semiconductors could be diverted to China and strengthen Beijing’s military capabilities.

Trump has made strengthening ties with Gulf nations a priority for his administration. If the UAE and other Gulf states successfully secure the proposed chip deals, the region could emerge as a third global centre for AI innovation, alongside the US and China.

Trump had floated the idea of making a side trip to Turkey to join the Russia-Ukraine peace talks before returning to Washington, but a US official confirmed on Wednesday that he would not attend.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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