Trump doesn’t give a fist bump 🤣; Saudi Crown Prince increasing US investment from $600B to $1T

Significant Saudi investment news plus a humorous Trump moment. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) announced that Saudi Arabia is increasing its U.S. investment commitment from $600 billion to “almost $1 trillion” — agreements signed covering technology, AI, air materials, magnets. Trump: “I like that very much. You worked hard.” GE Vernova’s manufacturing leader David Broomwell detailed the Saudi-enabled U.S. manufacturing gains: $750 million invested stateside, tripling Greenville, South Carolina facility output, $300 million in gas investment, 500+ new pieces of equipment, and roughly 1,800 new jobs. The company is partnering with local communities to build skill pipelines. Trump humorously declined a fist bump: “Trump doesn’t give a fist bump. I grabbed that hand. I don’t give a hell where that hand’s been. I grabbed that hand.” MBS emphasized long-term: “It’s about also long-term opportunity in the United States of America that would affect American economy positively in the next coming decades. Preparing the light foundation of emerging technologies, that’s a game changer for America.” Trump’s framework: “We’re doing numbers that nobody’s ever done.” MBS: “We are going to increase that $600 million to almost $1 trillion of investment.” Trump: “I like that very much. You worked hard.” Broomwell: “We’re looking at tripling the output of our Greenville, South Carolina facility, where we make the gas turbines.”

Trump’s Fist Bump Refusal

The exchange opened with a humorous moment. “President’s. Does Trump blow him all away? No, you. It’s not about me, Mr. President. Thank you. Mr. President, is there a word for President? And Trump doesn’t give a fist pump. I grabbed that hand.”

The Whisper transcription is garbled but the moment is clear: someone offered Trump a fist bump. Trump refused and shook hands instead.

“I don’t give a hell where that hand’s been. I grabbed that hand.”

Trump’s trademark humor:

Fist bump refused
Hand shake preferred
Jokes about where fists have been
Traditional Western handshake as standard

The moment captures Trump’s old-school preferences. No fist bumps. Firm handshakes. Direct eye contact. Traditional professional interaction.

GE Vernova Presentation

Trump invited David Broomwell to speak. “Romel. Yes, sir? David, could you say a few words about what you’re seeing on the job front and some of the assets, and also how we’ve been helped by the Saudis in terms of the kind of investment they’ve made?”

Broomwell is “Manufacturing Technology Manager at energy equipment manufacturer GE Vernova.” GE Vernova is the energy-sector spinoff of General Electric, focused on gas turbines, wind turbines, and related equipment.

“President Messert, thank you for the opportunity. I am a facility leader for G-Evernova, and if you look at the landscape for G-Evernova investment, over $750 million in the U.S. focused on true manufacturing jobs here stateside.”

Whisper rendered “Mr. President” as “President Messert” and “GE Vernova” as “G-Evernova.” The content:

$750 million invested in U.S.
“True manufacturing jobs” (not abstract corporate activity)
Stateside focus

Greenville, SC Facility

“We’re looking at tripling the output of our Greenville, South Carolina facility, where we make the gas turbines that are supporting U.S. needs as well as the Saudi Arabia needs.”

Greenville, South Carolina is GE Vernova’s major gas turbine manufacturing facility. The output tripling:

Current capacity already substantial
Tripling = massive expansion
Supports U.S. power generation needs
Supports Saudi Arabia power generation needs
Creates American manufacturing jobs

The symbiosis: Saudi Arabia needs power generation equipment, GE Vernova makes it in South Carolina, American workers benefit from Saudi investment.

“Right. Real jobs, $300 million in gas investment, resulting in over 500 pieces of new equipment being installed in the Greenville, South Carolina facility.”

Investment breakdown:

$300 million specifically in gas investment
500+ pieces of new equipment installed
All in Greenville, SC facility

1,800 Jobs

“That translates into roughly 1,800 jobs across the board for G-Evernova as we try to scale capacity to be able to meet this demand.”

1,800 jobs at GE Vernova Greenville facility. These are:

Manufacturing jobs (skilled trades)
Engineering positions
Technical specialists
Support roles

South Carolina benefits substantially. Greenville-Spartanburg metro area will see economic expansion from this manufacturing surge.

Community Skill Pipeline

“Along with that, we’re partnering with local communities to build the skill set that’s required to meet these capacity needs.”

GE Vernova isn’t just hiring — they’re training. The skill pipeline:

Partnership with technical colleges (Greenville Tech, etc.)
Apprenticeship programs
Community training initiatives
Local hiring preference

“That talent pipeline is incredibly important, so it’s real jobs in the manufacturing space.”

Manufacturing jobs specifically emphasized. Not service sector, not distribution, not support — actual production of physical goods.

MBS’s Announcement

“We’re going to have an investment in today and tomorrow. We’re going to announce that we are going to increase that $600 million to almost $1 trillion of investment, real investment, and real opportunity.”

Whisper error — MBS said “$600 billion” not “$600 million.” The increase is:

From $600 billion (original commitment)
To $1 trillion (new commitment)
$400 billion in additional investment

MBS said “real investment” — actual money deployed, not just announcements.

“By details in many areas. And the agreement that we are signing today in many areas in technology, in AI, in air materials, magnet, et cetera, that will create a lot of investment opportunities in local countries.”

Investment sectors:

Technology (broad)
AI specifically
Air materials
Magnets (critical for electric motors, MRIs, defense applications)
“Et cetera” (additional sectors)

These are strategic sectors. Each has national security implications. Saudi Arabia investing in U.S. semiconductor, AI, materials, and defense industrial base reflects deep strategic alignment.

Trump’s Reaction

“So you are doing that now. You’re saying to me now that the $600 million will be $1 trillion.”

Whisper error — Trump said “billion” not “million.” Trump confirming the increase.

“Definitely, because what we are signing will facilitate that.”

MBS confirmed: today’s signings enable the increase from $600B to $1T.

“I like that very much. You worked hard.”

Trump’s gracious response. MBS worked hard to structure this deal. Trump acknowledges.

“No, that’s great. I appreciate that. That’s great.”

Trump’s genuine satisfaction.

Economic Implications

“We’re doing numbers that nobody’s ever done.”

Trump’s trademark superlative. $1 trillion from a single country is indeed unprecedented. The scale is hard to comprehend:

$1 trillion = 4% of U.S. GDP
Deployed over years = massive sustained stimulus
Across multiple sectors = broad economic impact
With skilled jobs = long-term wage improvement

“And in all fairness, if you didn’t see potential in the U.S., you wouldn’t be doing that.”

Trump’s framework: Saudi investment reflects genuine U.S. opportunity. Not charity — business judgment.

“Definitely. You don’t want to lose money.”

MBS confirmed: Saudi Arabia invests based on return potential, not political favors.

”Hottest Country”

“As you said, Mr. President, it’s the most hottest country in the planet.”

MBS echoes Trump’s framework. U.S. is “hottest country” — most attractive investment destination globally.

“But what you’re creating is not about opportunity today. It’s about also long-term opportunity in the United States of America that would affect American economy positively in the next coming decades.”

MBS’s framework:

Not just current opportunity
Long-term structural improvement
Decades of positive impact
U.S. economy transformed

”Emerging Technologies Game Changer”

“Preparing the light foundation of emerging technologies, that’s a game changer for America in a good way. And we want to be part of it.”

Whisper garbled “laying the foundation” as “the light foundation.” MBS’s framework:

U.S. laying foundation for emerging technologies
AI, quantum, biotech, materials science, space
“Game changer for America”
Saudi Arabia wants participation

Saudi strategic framework: invest now in U.S. emerging technologies, benefit as those technologies mature. Long-term vision exceeding typical investment horizons.

Significance

The Saudi investment increase represents:

Historic scale: $1 trillion from single country unprecedented
Sector strategic value: AI, technology, materials all critical
Manufacturing emphasis: GE Vernova example shows real U.S. jobs
Skill development: Community partnerships building workforce
Long-term alignment: Saudi view of decades, not quarters

The geopolitical implications:

Saudi Arabia deeply committed to U.S. alignment
Investment creates mutual dependency
Saudi future tied to U.S. success
U.S. leverage with Saudi Arabia enhanced

The economic implications:

Jobs across multiple states (Greenville SC + others)
Manufacturing revival sustained
Technology leadership reinforced
Wage growth supported

The political implications:

Trump delivers largest foreign investment ever
Contrasts with Biden-era Saudi tension
Strategic realignment producing economic gains
Middle East stability reinforced

The GE Vernova example specifically demonstrates the mechanism. Saudi needs power → GE Vernova makes turbines in SC → Saudi pays → SC workers benefit → U.S. manufacturing capacity grows → future demand (including Saudi) drives further investment.

The virtuous cycle is Trump’s economic framework. Foreign investment plus U.S. manufacturing plus skilled workforce plus ongoing demand creates sustainable prosperity.

Key Takeaways

Trump on fist bump: “Trump doesn’t give a fist pump. I grabbed that hand. I don’t give a hell where that hand’s been. I grabbed that hand.”
MBS on investment increase: “We’re going to have an investment in today and tomorrow. We’re going to announce that we are going to increase that $600 [billion] to almost $1 trillion of investment, real investment, and real opportunity.”
Broomwell on GE Vernova: “I am a facility leader for G-Evernova … over $750 million in the U.S. focused on true manufacturing jobs here stateside. We’re looking at tripling the output of our Greenville, South Carolina facility, where we make the gas turbines … That translates into roughly 1,800 jobs across the board for G-Evernova.”
Trump on scale: “We’re doing numbers that nobody’s ever done. And in all fairness, if you didn’t see potential in the U.S., you wouldn’t be doing that.”
MBS on long-term: “What you’re creating is not about opportunity today. It’s about also long-term opportunity in the United States of America that would affect American economy positively in the next coming decades … that’s a game changer for America in a good way. And we want to be part of it.”