SoftBank CEO Announces $100B Investment Plan for the US

SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son, alongside President-elect Donald Trump, announced a $100 billion investment in the United States over the next four years, aimed at bolstering the U.S. economy and creating 100,000 jobs. The investment will focus on artificial intelligence and related infrastructure, aligning with Trump's commitment to economic growth during his second term, which begins on January 20.

The announcement, made during a flag-bedecked event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, reflects Trump's efforts to attract significant foreign investment to support economic expansion and combat inflation. Trump hailed the pledge as a show of "monumental confidence in America's future" and jokingly encouraged Son to raise the investment to $200 billion, prompting laughter from Son, who replied, “I’ll try.”

This commitment echoes a previous $50 billion investment pledge by Son during Trump’s 2016 transition period, which was also aimed at creating 50,000 jobs in the U.S.

While the scale of the pledge is substantial, it remains unclear how SoftBank plans to finance the investment. As of September 30, SoftBank’s balance sheet showed approximately $27 billion in cash, and its Vision Fund 2 reportedly has $3 billion remaining to deploy. A source familiar with the matter suggested that capital for the investment could come from Arm Holdings, the British-based chipmaker in which SoftBank holds a major stake.

Trump praised Son as "one of the most accomplished business leaders of our time", reinforcing his administration's narrative of fostering job creation and technological innovation through global partnerships. The investment pledge further positions AI development as a cornerstone of the U.S. economic strategy under Trump’s leadership.