According to reports, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family has entered into a confidential agreement with the Trump family to acquire a stake in their cryptocurrency joint venture. Insiders revealed that just four days before the presidential inauguration last year, an envoy for Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates' national security adviser and vice president, signed an agreement with Eric Trump, the former president's second son, to purchase a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million. The report stated that the initial payment was $250 million, of which $187 million was directed to entities controlled by the Trump family. At least $31 million was allocated to entities linked to the family of Steve Witkoff, a co-founder of World Liberty Financial and a U.S. special envoy to the Middle East. It is understood that an additional $31 million flowed to entities associated with the company's other co-founders, Zak Folkman and Chase Herro. In response to the report, David Wachsman, a spokesperson for World Liberty Financial, issued a statement saying, "President Trump and Steve Witkoff were not involved in this transaction and have not been involved in World Liberty Financial's affairs since taking office." He further added that the company undertook this transaction for its own benefit. He stated, "The notion that a private American company should be held to a special standard when raising capital, while other similar companies are not, is both absurd and un-American." A White House spokesperson informed media outlets that Trump's assets are held in a trust managed by his children. The report cited a person familiar with Sheikh Tahnoon's investments, indicating that the Sheikh and several co-investors finalized the deal after conducting several months of due diligence on World Liberty Financial. It is reported that the remaining $250 million is due to be paid by July 15, 2025, though it is unclear how these funds might be allocated.
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