Chicago – May 15, 2025
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced agreements worth more than $200 billion between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. One of the deals includes a $14.5 billion investment in American-made Boeing airplanes and GE engines. Etihad Airways has committed to purchasing 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft with GE engines. The companies involved, including Boeing and GE, did not comment on the deal, and Etihad Airways did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to these business deals, President Trump visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the United Arab Emirates, marking his first visit to a Muslim place of worship while in office. During the visit, Trump followed the tradition of removing his shoes before entering the mosque and was guided by Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
Trump’s visit to the mosque was part of a larger diplomatic tour through the Middle East. In the past, his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, visited the mosque in 2020 while serving as officials during Trump’s first term. Vice President Joe Biden also visited the mosque in 2016.
Trump’s visit to the mosque is significant because he has not been known to visit any mosques in the United States during his presidency. It is rare for U.S. presidents to make official visits to mosques, although visits to churches are more common.
