WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said strengthening American alliances and countering threats from Iran and other adversaries were key priorities during a recent congressional delegation trip to the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and the Philippines.
Gottheimer, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, led the bipartisan delegation and met with senior government officials to discuss regional security, artificial intelligence, energy cooperation and efforts to combat extremism.
While in the UAE, Gottheimer met with Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Advisor His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Discussions focused on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, regional stability, artificial intelligence and energy security cooperation.
The delegation also discussed rising antisemitism and extremism, as well as efforts by both countries to combat hate and extremist ideologies.
“The United States and the UAE are close partners, and I am grateful for the warmth our hosts extended throughout this trip,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “The UAE has stood firm throughout Iran’s relentless missile and drone attacks on Emirati cities and demonstrated the enduring strength of the Abraham Accords by engaging in a deeper partnership with Israel than ever before. We are completely aligned that Iran cannot continue threatening its neighbors.”
Gottheimer said the meetings highlighted opportunities for continued cooperation between the United States and the UAE in emerging technologies and energy development.
“We also had productive discussions on artificial intelligence and energy cooperation that underscored the strength of what our two societies can build. Together, we are forging a partnership that will define the future of AI and energy innovation.”
In Thailand and the Philippines, the delegation met with senior officials to discuss security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and efforts to counter the influence of China, North Korea and Iran.
The UAE remains one of the United States’ closest partners in the Middle East and played a key role in the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations.
Gottheimer serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and is the ranking member of its National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee.
