Trump on 60 Minutes: "I know nothing about" World Liberty Financial, which he co-owns, and its UAE-linked investors (update, Nov. 8, 2026) Case Asked on 60 Minutes (aired Nov. 8, 2026) why foreign investment in World Liberty Financial, the crypto company he co-owns and his sons run, differs from the Biden family dealings he has criticized, Trump answered, "Because I know nothing about it." Earlier reporting by the Wall Street Journal, as summarized by The Block, says UAE-linked investors hold a 49% stake in a World Liberty-linked company. No World Liberty response to that reporting was found. Background on the UAE stake (as reported by The Block, citing the Wall Street Journal) An August 2026 Wall Street Journal report, as summarized by The Block, said UAE national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan and co-investors held a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings, which is linked to World Liberty, and that WLTC had received preliminary OCC approval for a national trust bank charter. The Block also cites an earlier Journal report that a Tahnoon-backed investment vehicle secretly acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million shortly before Trump's inauguration. The Block's article does not include a World Liberty response to the UAE reporting. The exchange (60 Minutes, aired Nov. 8, 2026) Interviewer Ross Douthat said Trump is a co-owner of World Liberty Financial, a crypto company his son helps manage, and that it is partly owned by investors connected to the government of the United Arab Emirates. Asked to confirm co-ownership, Trump said, "That's correct." Douthat asked why this would differ from a Biden-family company with Middle Eastern investments, which he suggested Trump would call corrupt. Trump answered: "Because I know nothing about it." The Block reports Trump said his sons run the company, that it would be hard to tell them not to do anything for four years because he is president, and that most of his wealth is held with Wall Street firms and in index funds. Net worth question (same interview) Douthat cited a Forbes report that Trump's net worth rose by about $3 billion since he returned to office in January 2025, to a personal high of $6.5 billion. Trump replied, "Well, you should've had stock," and said, "I have a lot of money and far more than I ever thought I'd have. And I guess it's gone up. I don't even know." Trump said his sons and advisers manage his money and handle thousands of stock trades without consulting him, and cited 401(k) gains. Yahoo notes he reported at least $2 billion in income for 2025 and does not attribute the net-worth increase to any specific source such as crypto. Perspectives Official position — President Trump (in the interview) Trump's position is that he is not involved in World Liberty's operations, that his sons run it as they ran the family real-estate business before he took office, that his own wealth sits largely with Wall Street firms and in index funds, and that every president faces conflicts between office and business or former aides' later work. Critic — Interviewer Ross Douthat (as posed in the interview) Douthat put the critics' framing to Trump: that if the same facts applied to the Biden family it would look corrupt, that Trump could divest or walk away from the company, and that foreign investors seeking things from the government may think they are buying influence. This is the interviewer's line of questioning, not a finding by any court or investigator. Research notes Not verified for this entry: the Forbes methodology and report date, and any World Liberty or White House response to the UAE-stake reporting. The Block's account of the Wall Street Journal reporting is secondhand. Note Trump says his sons run the company and he knows nothing about the UAE-linked investment; critics see a conflict of interest. No court or investigator finding was found in the sources reviewed. Sources [1] CBS News — Full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump (60 Minutes) (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/read-the-full-transcript-of-ross-douthats-interview-with-president-trump/) · 2026-11-08 [2] The Block — Trump says he knows 'nothing' about UAE-linked investment in his crypto firm (https://www.theblock.co/news/business/2026-11-09-trump-says-he-knows-nothing-about-uae-linked-investment-in-his-crypto-firm-436079) · 2026-11-09 [3] Yahoo News — Trump, whose net worth jumped by $3 billion in second term, tells Americans: 'You should have had stock' (https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-says-everyone-got-wealthier-165752298.html) · 2026-11-09 Connections Same context — Trump on 60 Minutes: says he could work with Democrats "very easily" without insulting them, then repeats "Dumbocrats" (Nov. 8, 2026) Another segment of the same Nov. 8 Douthat interview. Same context — Trump's crypto ventures ($TRUMP, World Liberty Financial, USD1) and the Binance founder's pardon (2025-2026) Update to the published crypto-ventures entry: Trump's Nov. 8 on-record statement about World Liberty Financial.