Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son to announce $100 billion investment in U.S. and create 100,000 jobs focused on artificial intelligence and related infrastructure

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, alongside SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son, announced on Monday that the Tokyo-based company plans to invest $100 billion in the United States over the next four years. Both Trump and Son hailed the move as a significant boost to the U.S. economy.

Speaking at a joint event, Trump said the investment would focus on creating 100,000 jobs in artificial intelligence and related infrastructure. He emphasized that the funds would be deployed before the end of his upcoming term.

“This is monumental confidence in America’s future,” Trump said, while lightheartedly urging Son to double the investment to $200 billion. Son, laughing, replied that he would consider it.

The announcement, made at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, aligns with his promise to revitalize the U.S. economy and ease inflation’s burden on Americans as he prepares to begin his second term on January 20. Trump praised Son as “one of the most accomplished business leaders of our time.”

Echoes of a 2016 Promise

The announcement is reminiscent of a similar pledge Son made with Trump in December 2016, during Trump’s first transition to the presidency. At that time, Son committed $50 billion to create 50,000 jobs. While the money was eventually invested, it remains unclear whether those promised jobs materialized.

SoftBank has faced financial challenges in recent years, particularly after the collapse of the office-sharing startup WeWork and a downturn in several tech investments within its Vision Fund. The company has since been rebuilding its financial footing.

Trump’s History with Investment Announcements

Trump has often celebrated large-scale investment pledges during his political career, though such initiatives have not always delivered on their promises. For example, a $10 billion factory project by Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn in Wisconsin, announced early in Trump’s first term, largely failed to materialize despite initial promises of thousands of jobs.

Funding Uncertainty

It is unclear how SoftBank plans to fund the $100 billion investment. According to its most recent earnings report, as of September 30, SoftBank held approximately $29 billion in cash and cash equivalents. After a steep drop in its stock value between 2021 and 2023, SoftBank’s shares have rebounded significantly, gaining nearly 50% year-to-date.