Trump’s Middle East Money Machine: Power, Profit, and Political Peril

As President Donald Trump embarks on his high-profile Gulf tour in May 2025, his family’s business empire is making waves across the Middle East, blending luxury skyscrapers, golf resorts, and cryptocurrency ventures with the undeniable clout of the U.S. presidency. From a $5.5 billion golf resort in Qatar to a billion-dollar Dubai tower that accepts Bitcoin, the Trump Organization’s Middle East ventures are booming. Eric Trump is pitching crypto in Dubai, while Donald Jr. talks “Monetising Maga” in Doha. But as the Trump brand expands, questions swirl about conflicts of interest, foreign influence, and the ethical tightrope of a president’s family cashing in on petrodollar wealth. Here’s a deep dive into the Trump family’s Middle East empire and what it means for America.

The Trump Brand’s Middle East Takeover

Since Trump’s 2024 reelection, the Trump Organization, led by Eric and Donald Trump Jr., has aggressively expanded its footprint in the Gulf, capitalizing on the region’s oil-fueled wealth and ambitious development plans. The family’s ventures span Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, aligning with monarchies eager to invest in Trump’s vision of luxury and innovation. Recent deals include:

• Qatar: A $5.5 billion Trump International Golf Club and Villas in Simaisma, 40 km north of Doha. Announced in April 2025, this project features an 18-hole golf course, a clubhouse, and luxury villas, developed with Dar Global and land from Qatari Diar, a state-owned firm.

• Dubai, UAE: A billion-dollar Trump International Hotel and Tower, an 80-story residential skyscraper set to break ground in fall 2025. Buyers can purchase apartments with cryptocurrency, tying into the family’s digital finance push.

• Saudi Arabia: A 47-story Trump Tower in Jeddah (completion slated for 2029) and two developments in Riyadh, all in partnership with Saudi-based Dar Global.

• Oman: A Trump International Hotel and luxury golf resort, also with Dar Global, expected by 2028.

These projects, often tied to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), showcase the Trump brand’s allure in a region craving prestige and modernization. “The Trump name is synonymous with excellence,” Eric Trump said at a Dubai event, unveiling the crypto-friendly tower.

Crypto and Cash: The Trump Financial Play

The Trump family’s dive into cryptocurrency is a bold new frontier. Their firm, World Liberty Financial, is gaining traction in the Gulf, with Eric Trump as a board member of its controlling entity, WLF Holdco LLC. In April 2025, UAE-based MGX invested $2 billion in Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, using World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin. This deal, announced at a Dubai crypto conference, highlights the family’s pivot to digital finance in a region eager to lead in blockchain innovation.

Critics see this as a potential conflict of interest. “Every dollar invested in these crypto ventures could line the pockets of Trump-aligned interests,” said Jon Hoffman of the Cato Institute. The Gulf’s enthusiasm for crypto, paired with Trump’s political influence, creates a murky financial pipeline that raises ethical concerns.

Saudi Arabia: Golf, Kushner, and Billions

Saudi Arabia is a cornerstone of the Trump family’s Middle East ventures. Since 2022, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league has held tournaments at Trump properties, including his Doral resort in Florida, after the PGA pulled events from his New Jersey course post-January 6. The Saudi sovereign wealth fund, led by MBS, also invested $2 billion in Jared Kushner’s private equity firm during Trump’s first term, cementing ties between the kingdom and Trump’s inner circle.

Saudi Arabia’s pledge to invest $600 billion in the U.S. over four years dovetails with Trump’s push for Gulf nations to “pay their fair share.” But as the Trump Organization inks deals with Saudi-linked firms like Dar Global, analysts warn that these financial ties could sway U.S. foreign policy. “The Saudis know how to play the long game,” said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute. “Investing in Trump projects is a direct line to influence.”

Qatar’s Big Bets and Ethical Red Flags

Qatar’s role in the Trump empire is equally eyebrow-raising. The Simaisma golf resort, developed with Dar Global but on land from Qatari Diar (owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund), skirts the Trump Organization’s promise to avoid new deals with foreign governments during Trump’s second term. Eric Trump insists the deal is with private firm Dar Global, but Qatari Diar’s involvement has sparked debate about violations of the U.S. Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause.

Qatar’s lavish gestures don’t stop there. The emirate offered Trump a $400 million Boeing 747-8, which he accepted, calling it a “beautiful gift.” Paired with a $96 billion deal for Qatar’s state-owned airline to buy 210 Boeing jets, these moves highlight the blurred lines between diplomacy and dealmaking. “This is a president profiting from foreign governments while in office,” said ethicist Robert Weissman of Public Citizen.

A Region Built for Trump’s Ambition

The Gulf’s monarchies, flush with petrodollars and led by decisive rulers, are a perfect match for the Trump Organization’s bold brand. Leaders like MBS and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani see Trump projects as a way to boost their global image while securing political goodwill. “Deals with the Trump family are a low-cost way to gain leverage with the U.S.,” Mogielnicki noted. Local developers, backed by government-friendly policies, fast-track these projects, ensuring quick wins for all parties.

Trump himself is enamored with the Gulf’s transformation. During his Riyadh speech, he praised the region’s “majestic skyscrapers” and “genius” urban planning, calling for a Middle East defined by “commerce, not chaos.” Yet, his family’s profits from these same nations raise questions about whether business interests are shaping his diplomatic agenda.

The Conflict of Interest Conundrum

The Trump Organization’s Middle East expansion, while not new—its Dubai golf club opened in 2017—has accelerated under Trump’s second term. The scale of these deals, from crypto to skyscrapers, amplifies concerns about conflicts of interest. The family’s partnerships with firms tied to Gulf governments, combined with Trump’s direct negotiations with those same leaders, create a perception that U.S. policy could be for sale. “The American public deserves a president who puts national interests first, not family profits,” Weissman argued.

The Trump Organization counters that its deals are with private entities, not governments, and that its Gulf ventures predate Trump’s political career. Yet, the involvement of state-linked firms like Qatari Diar and Saudi-backed Dar Global complicates this defense.

What’s at Stake for America?

As Trump’s Gulf tour unfolds, with red-carpet welcomes featuring camels and Cybertrucks, the Trump family’s Middle East empire shows no signs of slowing. Eric Trump hinted at “more exciting projects” with Dar Global, while the region’s leaders court the president with investments and flattery. But the stakes are high. Will these ventures strengthen U.S. economic ties with the Gulf, as Trump claims, or erode trust in his administration’s impartiality?

The Trump brand thrives on spectacle, and the Middle East is a fitting stage. But as skyscrapers rise and crypto wallets fill, the line between business and governance grows thinner, leaving Americans to wonder: whose interests are really being served?

Thought Questions for Readers:

1. How do you view the Trump family’s Middle East business ventures in light of potential conflicts of interest with U.S. foreign policy?

2. Should there be stronger laws to limit the business activities of a president’s family during their term, especially with foreign entities?

3. Could the Trump Organization’s Gulf deals enhance U.S. economic influence, or do they risk prioritizing personal profit over national interests?