President-elect Trump is set to announce on Monday that Softbank, the global investment giant, will commit to a staggering $100 billion investment in the United States over the next four years. This major move underscores Trump’s “America First” economic strategy and has CEOs already scrambling to curry favor with the incoming administration.
According to CNBC, Trump will make the announcement alongside Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son at Mar-a-Lago. The deal promises to create 100,000 new jobs, focusing heavily on artificial intelligence and related technological infrastructure. The funding will come from Softbank or its subsidiaries, including the Vision Fund and chipmaker Arm Holdings, where Softbank holds a majority stake. This significant investment is set to be completed by the end of Trump’s second term.
This isn’t Trump’s first collaboration with Son. Back in 2016, during Trump’s initial rise to the White House, the duo announced a $50 billion investment aimed at creating 50,000 jobs. At the time, Trump remarked that Son “would never do this” if Hillary Clinton had won the presidency, highlighting the unique business climate his presidency fostered. Son, expressing his confidence in Trump, declared his admiration for the then-president-elect.
🚨 Trump officially announces the $100B investment from SoftBank over the next four years. This will create over 100k new jobs.
America is back. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/5iE0Gsduvd
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 16, 2024
Softbank’s portfolio is robust, including an 80% stake in telecom company Sprint, significant holdings in T-Mobile, and investments in tech giants like Alibaba and Arm Holdings. The firm’s commitment to substantial U.S.-based investments is expected to set off a chain reaction, pressuring other multinational corporations to follow suit.
In fact, other CEOs are already taking note. Politico reported that Apple CEO Tim Cook has reached out to Trump’s team, requesting a private meeting at Mar-a-Lago after the election. This is a significant shift for Cook, who famously resisted calls during the Obama administration to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., bluntly stating in 2012 that “those jobs aren’t coming back.”
With Trump’s return to the Oval Office, the business landscape appears to be changing. Trump’s approach to tariffs and his clear mandate from voters give him leverage to encourage — or pressure — companies like Apple to increase domestic production. Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners, noted that Trump’s ability to “twist Apple’s arm” might finally lead to some manufacturing jobs returning stateside.
Softbank’s massive investment serves as a vindication of Trump’s economic policies and his commitment to revitalizing American industry. As more CEOs take notice, the message is clear: invest in America, or face the consequences of sky-high tariffs on goods produced overseas. This latest announcement sets the stage for a new era of American manufacturing and technological growth under Trump’s leadership.
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