President Trump on Thursday was given the Order of Zayed, the United Arab Emirates’ highest civilian honor.
The award was bestowed for his “exceptional efforts to strengthen the longstanding ties of friendship and strategic partnership” between the U.S. and UAE.
As Mr. Trump sat beside UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Qasr Al Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi, the host praised the partnership between the two countries and spoke of the $1.4 trillion investment that the UAE pledged to the U.S. over the next 10 years.
“All I could say is thank you very much. We will work very hard to deserve it,” Mr. Trump said. “I have absolutely no doubt that the relationship will only get bigger and better. Your relationship and mine can’t get better. So I can’t say it’s going to get better, because it’s at the highest level it can be. But our countries will work together.”
He said the UAE is “an amazing country; you’re a rich country.”
“You can have your choice, but I know you’ll never leave my side,” he said.
The trillion-dollar economic framework was announced in March after top UAE officials met with Mr. Trump.
“This new framework will substantially increase the UAE’s existing investments in the U.S. economy in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy and American manufacturing,” a release announcing the investment said.
