Qatar’s Sovereign Fund to Double U.S. Investments, Aligning with Trump’s Industrial Agenda

This comes just days after Al-Suwaidi pledged an additional $500 billion investment in the U.S. over the next decade, nearly matching the fund’s current size.

He explained that the new spending would focus on sectors QIA traditionally favors, such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and healthcare—areas that also align with U.S. President Donald Trump’s agenda to bring manufacturing back to America.

Qatar Doubles Down on U.S. Investments as QIA Targets Strategic Sectors Under Al-Suwaidi’s Leadership

During his recent Gulf visit, Trump secured $1.2 trillion in commitments from Qatar, with QIA playing a central role by pledging to invest half a trillion dollars in the American economy.

Al-Suwaidi, who has led the fund since late 2014, said no major strategic shifts are expected at QIA, currently valued at $524 billion. However, the fund plans to increase its pace of specialized investments. It is reviewing its allocations to traditional assets such as fixed income and real estate—changes that could influence sovereign wealth fund strategies globally.

He also revealed that QIA has recently reinvested in Elon Musk’s X.AI company in 2025.

Al-Suwaidi emphasized the importance of boosting U.S. manufacturing, noting that weakening trade ties between China and the U.S. create new investment opportunities in American supply chains. “We are not retreating from other markets, but we are increasing our exposure to the U.S.,” he said, adding that current U.S. policy conditions present a “more promising trajectory” for long-term capital.

He explained that QIA typically takes minority stakes in successful companies, with deal sizes varying across asset classes. “In public equities, we can invest heavily,” he said. “In private investments, we’re capable of billion-dollar deals, yet we maintain flexibility—especially in sectors like tech and healthcare.”

In November 2023, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appointed Al-Suwaidi as QIA’s CEO, replacing Mansour Al Mahmoud, who became Minister of Public Health during a cabinet reshuffle.

QIA’s U.S. Track Record

Al-Suwaidi leads QIA from within, having joined 14 years ago and served as Chief Investment Officer for the Americas. He has held key roles including Director of Private Equity, and Director of Portfolios for Industry, Tech, Media, and Telecom. Between 2015 and 2020, he headed QIA’s New York office and helped establish the U.S. team, which supports the fund’s strategic expansion in America.

QIA opened its New York office in 2015 to manage a $35 billion U.S. investment plan. It acquired nearly 10% of Empire State Realty Trust, the owner of the Empire State Building, in 2016. QIA subsidiary Qatari Diar entered the U.S. real estate market via the $1.5+ billion CityCenterDC project in Washington, D.C.

In New York, the Qatari sovereign fund acquired the Park Lane Hotel overlooking Central Park for $623 million. Qatar was the top foreign investor in New York in 2023, with $1 billion in assets, according to The Real Deal cited by Al-Sharq newspaper.

The annual U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, launched in Washington in 2018, has explored cooperation in defense, counterterrorism, trade, and investment. In March 2024, the sixth round of the dialogue addressed security, trade, climate change, health, aid, and development.

On April 30, 2025, Trump’s organization signed its first real estate deal in Qatar when Qatari Diar inked an agreement with Dar Global to develop the Trump International Golf Club in Simaisma, north of Doha. The project includes an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, and a private collection of luxury Trump-branded villas.