According to financial disclosure reports released by the US government in early July, former President Trump's business empire generated over US$2 billion (approximately HK$15.68 billion) in total revenue last year, with income from the Middle East alone reaching around US$300 million (approximately HK$2.35 billion) — the highest among all overseas regions — further fueling public scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.
The largest single Middle Eastern transaction was Trump's sale of half of his stake in the cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial, netting US$263 million (approximately HK$2.06 billion). The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the buyer was an entity linked to Sheikh Tahnoon, a senior member of the UAE royal family who manages over US$1.4 trillion (approximately HK$11 trillion) in assets and has visited the White House to lobby for approval of advanced AI chip exports to the UAE.
Other Middle Eastern earnings came from Trump-branded skyscrapers and golf courses launched over the past three years by two Middle Eastern real estate developers. Last year, these developers paid US$38 million (approximately HK$300 million) for licensing projects in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman. Disclosure documents show that Trump Organization revenue from overseas licensing and development surged from US$9 million (approximately HK$70.57 million) in 2022 to US$59 million (approximately HK$460 million) last year.
David Schenker, a former senior US State Department official for Middle East affairs, noted that the cryptocurrency deals and other payments made to Trump and his advisers by Middle Eastern nations reflect the region's long-established modus operandi. "These governments are highly strategic with their money — they invest where they can buy goodwill on a global scale."
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