By Trendsetter Tribune 
A UAE-linked firm bought a 49% stake in the Trump family’s crypto company days before Trump’s second inauguration, raising conflict-of-interest concerns despite White House pushback.
An investment group tied to the United Arab Emirates purchased nearly half of the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company just four days before President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, according to a Wall Street Journal report that has triggered intense scrutiny across Washington.
The $500 million deal gave the Emirati-backed firm a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial — the crypto business co-founded by Trump family members and longtime Middle East adviser Steve Witkoff. Documents cited in the report show $187 million went to Trump entities and $31 million to the Witkoff family.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed the investment but emphasized that neither Trump nor Witkoff participated in the transaction after taking office.
White House officials dismissed concerns about conflicts of interest, insisting the president’s assets remain in a trust and that Trump “only acts in the best interests of the American public.” Witkoff, according to the administration, has now divested from the company.
Still, ethics experts and Democratic lawmakers called the move unprecedented, pointing to the involvement of senior figures linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan — a UAE royal and national security adviser. Two of Tahnoon’s associates joined the firm’s board as part of the deal.
Critics say the investment underscores the blurring of lines between Trump’s public office and private business interests. Former Obama administration official Richard Stengel called the arrangement “shameless” and “mind boggling.” Lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, demanded congressional investigation.
World Liberty Financial defended the transaction as a standard business decision. The company, which recently launched its WLFI token, says it has grown significantly since the investment, describing accusations of political influence as “baseless.”
As Trump positions the U.S. as the future “crypto capital of the planet,” his family continues promoting the venture globally — even as questions mount over foreign money, presidential power, and the future of oversight in Washington.