A senior CIA operative tasked with determining whether the United Arab Emirates could be trusted with America’s most advanced artificial intelligence technology instead became one of the country’s strongest advocates inside Washington, according to a report published Sunday by The Wall Street Journal.
Johnny Gannon, a senior CIA operative with a rank equivalent to a general, was sent to Abu Dhabi in 2023 to investigate the UAE-based AI company G42 and its ties to China amid fears that sensitive American technology could be compromised. Instead, he developed an unusually close relationship with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE’s powerful national security adviser and the driving force behind the country’s AI ambitions.
2+According to the report, Gannon’s role extended far beyond traditional intelligence work. His efforts helped reshape U.S. export policy, ultimately clearing the way for the UAE to receive advanced American AI chips. The current administration later expanded that access, even after Sheikh Tahnoon and his associates reportedly invested $500 million in President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency venture.
Gannon’s growing influence sparked deep divisions inside Washington. Supporters argued he was strengthening a critical regional ally that has long cooperated with the U.S. on counterterrorism. Critics, however, warned that he had become too close to his Emirati counterparts.
Former CIA Director Bill Burns reportedly strengthened Gannon’s standing with Sheikh Tahnoon and relied on him during sensitive negotiations, including efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas following the October 7 massacre. The two also bonded over their shared passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
2+As part of Washington’s effort to reduce Chinese influence, Gannon pushed G42 to remove Huawei equipment from its systems. Even so, concerns persisted. National Security Council intelligence official Maher Bitar warned the arrangement could backfire, while former White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk argued that denying the UAE American technology would only push it closer to China.
Those concerns were reinforced by reports of a suspected Chinese military facility near Abu Dhabi.
During a June 2024 meeting at Sheikh Tahnoon’s Washington residence, G42 CEO Peng Xiao presented American officials with a briefing on China’s AI capabilities, triggering heated debate. Then-Commerce Under Secretary Alan Estevez gave the Emiratis a clear ultimatum: choose between American technology partners and Chinese firms—but not both. According to the report, he later became one of the deal’s strongest supporters.
2+Peng, who was born in China and studied in Hawaii before renouncing his U.S. citizenship to join the Emirati leadership circle, previously led the cybersecurity firm DarkMatter, which was shut down after an FBI investigation into the hacking of Apple servers. G42 later emerged from that operation with Sheikh Tahnoon’s financial backing.
In May 2025, the UAE launched the Stargate UAE artificial intelligence hub in partnership with companies including OpenAI and Nvidia. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman later visited the site.
China’s embassy in Washington dismissed the allegations as baseless, accusing the U.S. of exaggerating claims of technology theft. The White House denied any conflict of interest surrounding Sheikh Tahnoon’s investment in Trump’s cryptocurrency company, while G42 said it had significantly strengthened its compliance and security measures.