No deep dive today, just a deep thought.
I realize there is a massive negative vibe against the Trump administration regarding tariffs. As an economic futurist, I don’t have to work hard to see the downside effects of what’s coming. All one needs to do is review the shipping volumes into California and project out what that means for the US economy. The good news is President Trump has invoked a 90-day pause in the trade negotiations with China just as he did with the original “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs on other countries. Now, the situation is a fire drill for supply chains until these 90-day pauses are up.
Setting this chaos aside, the trip to the Middle East got me thinking about investment pledges, by both corporations and countries, for the United States. Yes, the Wisconsin Foxconn debacle during Trump 1.0 comes to mind. Yet, the approach to trade under Trump 2.0 has a different vibe to it: it’s massive. The list below indicates +$4.2 trillion. Let’s get generous and think maybe 50% of that makes its way into the country. Simply stated, $2.1 trillion is still a large amount of investment which was not there before.
And I want my clients and readers to think about what positive impacts this will have on the economy, jobs and their companies. Most importantly, I want y’all to take advantage of it and find a way to benefit.
Major Corporate Investments in U.S. Manufacturing and Infrastructure (2025)
Technology and Artificial Intelligence
- OpenAI – The Stargate Project: In January 2025, OpenAI, in partnership with SoftBank, Oracle, and MGX, announced the Stargate Project—a joint venture aiming to invest up to $500 billion by 2029 in U.S. AI infrastructure. The initiative commenced with an immediate $100 billion investment to construct AI data centers, starting with a flagship facility in Abilene, Texas. The project plans to deploy 64,000 NVIDIA GB200 GPUs by the end of 2026 and is expected to create over 100,000 jobs across the United States. However, the project has encountered delays due to tariff-related economic uncertainties and financing challenges.
- Apple Inc.: Announced an investment exceeding $500 billion over the next four years to enhance American innovation, create approximately 20,000 jobs, and expand manufacturing and research capabilities. This includes a new 250,000-square-foot AI server manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, expected to commence operations in 2026.
- NVIDIA: Committed up to $500 billion to manufacture artificial intelligence-enabling computing chips in the U.S., supporting the growth of emerging technologies.
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC): Announced an additional $100 billion investment in advanced semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S., including plans for new fabrication plants and a major R&D center.
Automotive and Battery Manufacturing
- Hyundai Motor Group: Committed $21 billion from 2025 to 2028 to expand domestic manufacturing, with $9 billion allocated to increase automobile production to 1.2 million vehicles annually.
- Ford Motor Company: Investing $5.6 billion in “BlueOval City,” a new automotive assembly complex in Tennessee, focusing on electric pickup trucks and EV batteries. The project is expected to create approximately 5,800 jobs.
- Toyota Motor Corporation: Expanding its battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina with an additional $8 billion investment, aiming to employ over 5,000 people and produce batteries for up to 800,000 vehicles annually.
- Panasonic: Accelerating production at its new battery plant in De Soto, Kansas, to meet the growing demand for U.S.-made batteries, particularly from Tesla. The facility aims to boost capacity by 60% by March 2027.
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
- Roche Group: Investing over $700 million in a new drug manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina, focusing on next-generation obesity treatments. Additionally, up to $550 million will be invested in its Indianapolis diagnostics site to manufacture continuous glucose monitoring systems.
- Merck Animal Health: Announced an $895 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas, enhancing vaccine stabilization and storage capabilities. The expansion is expected to generate over 200 full-time jobs.
- Amgen: Disclosed a $900 million investment in its Ohio-based manufacturing operations, aiming to bolster domestic pharmaceutical production.
Consumer Goods and Industrial Manufacturing
- Anheuser-Busch: Announced a $300 million investment in U.S. manufacturing operations for 2025, including establishing a new facility in Columbus, Ohio. The initiative aims to support veterans transitioning to manufacturing careers and enhance domestic production capabilities.
- Carrier Global Corporation: Committed $1 billion over the next five years to expand its U.S. production footprint, including building a new site focused on producing components for heat pumps and battery assemblies. This investment is expected to create 4,000 new jobs.
- JCB (British heavy equipment manufacturer): Expanding its San Antonio operations by doubling the size of its facility to one million square feet, making it the company’s largest site globally. The expansion will create 1,500 new jobs and focus on producing high-demand construction equipment.
Notable Country-Level Investments
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- $1.4 Trillion Investment Commitment: During President Trump’s May 2025 visit, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced a plan to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade. This investment aims to enhance cooperation across key sectors, including artificial intelligence, technology, and energy.
- $200 Billion in Commercial Deals: The UAE and the U.S. agreed on deals totaling over $200 billion, including a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to purchase 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines.
- AI and Semiconductor Collaboration: The two countries established a “US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership,” allowing the UAE to import up to 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips annually. This agreement also includes the UAE’s commitment to invest in U.S. data centers and energy infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia
- $600 Billion Investment Commitment: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to invest $600 billion in the United States, focusing on sectors such as defense, artificial intelligence, and economic cooperation.
- Defense and AI Agreements: Key deals include a $142 billion arms agreement, the largest defense sales agreement in history, and partnerships with U.S. tech companies like Nvidia and AMD to supply semiconductors to Saudi Arabia’s new AI entity, Humain.
- Data Center Investments: Saudi data center firm DataVolt plans to invest $20 billion in U.S. data centers and energy infrastructure.
Qatar
- $200 Billion Investment Commitment: Qatar pledged to invest $200 billion in the United States, including a $96 billion deal with Boeing to purchase up to 210 aircraft, marking the largest order in the company’s history.
- Defense and Infrastructure Investments: Agreements include a $10 billion pledge for Al Udeid Air Base investments and MQ-9 drone purchases, as well as a $10 billion investment in a U.S. military facility.
