What To Know:
- US House of Representatives has opened a formal probe into a $500 million investment linked to WLFI.
- The investigation letter seeks clarity on the source, structure, and beneficiaries of a reported investment linked to the United Arab Emirates.
- World Liberty Financial has not issued a public response to the letter. Donald Trump has, however, denied personal knowledge of the investment.
A Democrat in the US House of Representatives has opened a formal probe into a $500 million investment linked to World Liberty Financial, which is a crypto project associated with President Donald Trump and his family. The investigation centers on potential national security risks, foreign influence, and possible violations of US law.
Representative Ro Khanna, a ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, sent a letter on Wednesday. The letter requested detailed records from World Liberty Financial co founder Zach Witkoff. The letter seeks clarity on the source, structure, and beneficiaries of a reported investment linked to the United Arab Emirates.
US House Investigates into UAE Deal with WLFI
The inquiry follows reporting by The Wall Street Journal that said Aryam Investment 1 acquired a 49 percent stake in World Liberty Financial. The entity is controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security advisor and brother of the country’s president.
Breaking: I have launched an investigation as ranking member of the Select Committee on China into a $500 million UAE investment in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company.
This is about public trust and transparency. https://t.co/2PfVrOmNni https://t.co/1PjXb64jyH
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) February 5, 2026
According to the report, the deal was finalized four days before Donald Trump’s inauguration. It included an upfront payment of $250 million. Of that amount, roughly $187 million was directed to Trump family related entities. At least $31 million reportedly went to firms affiliated with Steve Witkoff, who currently serves as the US special envoy to the Middle East.
Khanna’s letter states that the timing and structure of the investment raise serious concerns. He warned that the transaction may have overlapped with shifts in US export policy related to advanced AI semiconductors. Those controls were originally designed to limit the flow of sensitive technology to China.
Sheikh Tahnoon oversees major technology and investment firms, including G42 and MGX. Both entities have faced scrutiny over reported links to Chinese companies. In November 2025, the US approved export licenses allowing advanced AI chips to be sent to G42. Around the same period, Washington backed the construction of a large scale AI data center in the UAE.
The letter also highlights a separate transaction involving MGX. In March 2025, MGX invested $2 billion into Binance, the global crypto exchange founded in China. The deal was facilitated using World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin. That investment coincided with Sheikh Tahnoon’s visit to Washington, where he met with Trump.
Further scrutiny has fallen on the timeline surrounding Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. Zhao received a presidential pardon in October 2025. The approval of chip export licenses to UAE linked entities followed one month later.
Khanna described the sequence of events as deeply troubling. In his letter, he said the arrangements may represent violations of multiple federal laws and provisions of the US Constitution. He also pointed out possible violations of the emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting benefits from foreign governments without congressional approval.
The congressman requested written responses to 16 detailed questions by March 1, 2026. The requests cover ownership structures, due diligence on foreign investors, involvement in policy discussions, and any revenues tied to Chinese sources. Khanna also asked for internal documents, including agreements with Aryam Investment 1, communications connected to the Binance transaction, capitalization tables, and conflict of interest policies.
He said that the American public deserves full transparency, particularly on matters that intersect with competition against China and national security.
World Liberty Financial has not issued a public response to the letter. Donald Trump has, however, denied personal knowledge of the investment. Speaking earlier this week, he said he was unaware of the deal and stated that his sons manage the project. He also added that his family receives investments from various sources.
As of the latest data, WLFI was trading at $0.1251, which is down 1.7 percent over the past hour.
Also Read: Trump-Backed WLFI to Launch on Ethereum With $55B Valuation
