Donald Trump trumpets $50 billion investment ahead of victory rally

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“This is Masa of SoftBank from Japan and he’s just agreed to invest USD 50 billion in the United States and 50,000 jobs,” the president-elect told reporters, standing with his arm around a grinning Son.”He’s one of the great men of industry, so I just want to thank you very much,” added Trump before turning to shake the Japanese magnate’s hand.”I just came to celebrate his new job,” said Son, repeating his commitment and saying that SoftBank would be investing in start-up companies in America.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Son said the money will be coming from a USD 100 billion investment fund that he is setting up with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund and other potential partners. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton by promising to create jobs and campaigning as a political outsider who could shake up the system, claimed the Japanese investment as a personal
coup.

“Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!” the maverick Republican wrote on Twitter.It marked the second time in a week Trump has claimed to have acted personally to save or create American jobs -allowing himself to make good on a key campaign promise -after a deal to keep hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Indiana.

That agreement with air-conditioning plant Carrier was announced ahead of his inaugural victory rally in Ohio, and has raised his stock among Republican and Democrat voters alike, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found yesterday. Trump sought to bolster his populist credentials further by threatening to cancel a ballooning contract for two new Air Force One jets: one of the most glittering assets of the US presidency which now need updating.

He claimed the contract had escalated to more than USD 4 billion, as his team said he was committed to keeping government spending down and saving taxpayers’ money.