Trump Sons Invest In Powerus Drone Merger, Eye Pentagon Contracts

President Donald Trump's eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have emerged as notable investors in Powerus, a Florida-based drone technology company, amid the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict that has intensified Pentagon demand for unmanned aerial systems. The investment, announced on March 9, 2026, involves a reverse merger between Powerus and the publicly traded Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AGH), a golf-course management firm previously backed by the Trump family. The combined entity, to operate as Powerus Corporation, aims to scale domestic production of autonomous drones for military and high-risk commercial applications, targeting monthly output exceeding 10,000 units.

Powerus, founded in 2025 by former U.S. Army Special Operations veterans and headquartered in West Palm Beach near the Trump family's Mar-a-Lago estate, has rapidly expanded by acquiring three smaller drone firms. The company positions itself to capitalize on the Trump administration's December 2025 ban on new Chinese-made drones and components, which created gaps in the U.S. market previously dominated by foreign suppliers. Investors in the merger include the Trump family's American Ventures, the Trump-backed investment bank Dominari Securities, and Unusual Machines—a drone parts manufacturer where Donald Trump Jr. serves as a shareholder and advisory board member. Powerus is also a customer of Unusual Machines, further linking the ventures.

This move builds on prior Trump family engagements in the drone sector. In February 2026, Eric Trump invested in a $1.5 billion merger deal to take Israeli drone maker XTEND public through a tie-up with Florida-based JFB Construction Holdings, with Unusual Machines also participating. XTEND, known for its AI-driven systems and "low cost-per-kill" capabilities, has supplied the U.S. Department of Defense and seen applications in conflict zones. The latest Powerus deal adds to criticisms of potential conflicts of interest, as the administration ramps up defense spending on drones—highlighted by a reported $1.1 billion Pentagon push—while the family expands its portfolio in the sector.

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The timing has drawn scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and media outlets, who note the overlap between U.S. military operations in Iran, which have featured heavy drone usage, and the business opportunities created by those conflicts. Powerus executives emphasized the merger's relevance to "current geopolitical uncertainties" in the Middle East, framing it as a step toward American dominance in autonomous systems innovation and domestic manufacturing. The transaction, advised by Dominari and supported by a $50 million investment from the Korea Corporate Governance Improvement Fund, is expected to close in summer 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

Critics, including groups like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), argue the investments raise questions about the interplay between White House policy and family business interests, especially as drone demand surges from ongoing wars. Supporters of the venture highlight its focus on national security priorities, such as reducing reliance on foreign technology and bolstering U.S. defense capabilities. As the U.S.-Iran war continues to evolve, this development underscores the growing intersection of private enterprise and geopolitical strategy in the defense tech space.

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