As Washington pours billions into new weapons and drones, President Trump’s sons are quietly becoming major players in the very defense companies chasing that taxpayer money.
Story Snapshot
- Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are invested in more than a dozen defense-tech and artificial intelligence firms seeking Pentagon business.
- Those companies have secured at least $3.2–$3.7 billion in federal contracts and options during Trump’s second term.
- The brothers hold stakes in drone makers like Unusual Machines, Xtend, and Powerus, all pursuing major Defense Department programs.
- Critics cry “conflict of interest,” while the White House and companies insist the deals are merit-based and fully legal.
Trump’s Sons Move Deep Into the Defense Business
According to a Washington Post analysis, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are now tied, mostly through two investment vehicles, to more than a dozen defense-tech and artificial intelligence firms that either hold or are vying for major federal contracts. These companies have logged at least $3.2 billion in direct government awards and another $3.1 billion in potential future work since Trump’s second term began, much of it from the Pentagon. Big names like SpaceX and Anduril dominate the totals, but smaller startups in drones, robotics, rare-earth magnets, and quantum computing also benefit.
A recent MS NOW review of public records, echoed by follow-up coverage, goes even further, tying Trump Jr. and Eric Trump to at least 10 defense firms with military uses that collectively received about $3.7 billion in federal funds under the current administration. That review found they have direct investments in several companies and indirect exposure to others through venture fund 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. serves as a partner. The timing fuels concern that as the Pentagon budget swells, the president’s family is closely aligned with firms poised to profit.
Drone Deals, Venture Funds, and Pentagon Programs
Donald Trump Jr. holds an estimated $4 million stake and sits on the board of Unusual Machines, a drone parts startup that has disclosed more than $15.2 million in deals, with highlighted orders coming from United States defense contractors and the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. Reporting and investor materials show the company later received a massive Pentagon loan through the Office of Strategic Capital to expand drone production capacity. As drone warfare becomes central to U.S. strategy, Unusual Machines now stands in a prime position to supply parts for conflict zones.
Eric Trump, meanwhile, has invested in Israeli-founded drone maker Xtend, which markets artificial intelligence driven systems and “low cost-per-kill” attack drones used by the Israeli military in Gaza. A Wall Street Journal account, summarized in later coverage, describes his backing of a $1.5 billion plan to take Xtend public via a merger with a Florida construction firm, after the company secured a multimillion-dollar Pentagon contract and entered competition for more Defense Department work. Xtend has also been invited to compete in a Pentagon drone initiative worth over $1 billion, making it another family-linked player chasing large U.S. defense programs.
Powerus, 1789 Capital, and Concerns Over Conflicts
Both Trump brothers are also tied to Powerus, a Florida-based autonomous drone startup positioned to fill gaps in the U.S. drone supply. Aureus Greenway Holdings, a golf course company backed by the two, announced a merger with Powerus that would take the drone maker public, naming Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. as “notable investors.” Shortly after similar transactions were reported, Powerus began vying for slices of the Pentagon’s growing drone and counter-drone spending, including programs focused on replacing Chinese-made systems. This pattern of investment followed by federal interest has become a core concern for critics.
Trump’s sons invest heavily in defense tech as their father’s administration pours money in, a Washington Post analysis finds
Most investments by funds linked to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have taken place since their father’s 2024 election. https://t.co/qlkc0Bi8jc
— Jonathan Htet (@jonathan_htet) July 13, 2026
The most complex piece of the story is 1789 Capital, the venture firm where Trump Jr. is a partner and that manages billions in private capital. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have flagged at least $70 million in contracts and loans to its portfolio companies, including tens of millions to artificial intelligence chip maker Cerebras Systems and a $620 million loan to drone manufacturer Vulcan Elements, described as the largest such loan in Pentagon history. Yet because private funds like 1789 Capital are not required to fully disclose holdings, outside watchdogs cannot easily see the whole picture of how far presidential family investments reach across the defense sector.
Critics, Defenders, and What the Rules Actually Say
Democratic senators and liberal outlets frame these moves as the Trump family turning the Department of Defense into a personal “cash cow,” accusing the president’s sons of “directly profiting” from wars and Pentagon policy their father drives. They point to repeated sequences where an investment by Trump Jr. or Eric Trump is followed, within months, by major contracts, loans, or inclusion in elite vendor shortlists for future work. Some watchdogs compare the pattern to earlier years, when ethics groups documented thousands of conflicts tied to Trump properties and business ventures.
The counter-argument rests on important legal facts. Neither Donald Trump Jr. nor Eric Trump holds an official role in the administration, meaning they are not covered by federal conflict-of-interest rules that restrict government employees. Companies linked to the brothers have repeatedly said they won contracts on merit, without help from the Trump family, and Eric Trump’s side has stressed he is a “passive investor” with no role in day-to-day operations or bidding. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly has bluntly stated, “There are no conflicts of interest,” and no public evidence has yet surfaced showing the brothers personally intervened in specific contract decisions.
What This Means for Conservatives and the Constitution
For constitutional conservatives, the core question is less about partisan outrage and more about structure and precedent. Current law leaves a large gap: presidents and their family members can own or invest in companies that benefit from federal policy, as long as they do not hold formal government jobs covered by conflict-of-interest statutes. That gap means future presidents of any party could use private funds and shell companies to stand close to big defense, energy, or infrastructure contracts shaped by the White House, while still claiming to follow the rules. The Trump case simply highlights how large that gray zone has grown in an era of trillion-dollar Pentagon budgets.
Supporters will argue that investing in American defense technology is common sense, especially when hostile regimes threaten U.S. troops and allies. They see Trump’s sons backing companies that help rearm America, build drones at home instead of buying from China, and push new artificial intelligence tools to keep soldiers safer in battle. At the same time, many principled conservatives value limited government and clean lines between public office and private gain. They may press for clearer rules, more transparency from large private funds, and stronger protections to ensure that any future president—Republican or Democrat—cannot quietly mingle war decisions with family business when taxpayer dollars and American lives are on the line.
Sources:
aljazeera.com, newser.com, warren.senate.gov, youtube.com, chosun.com, thedailybeast.com, ms.now, edition.cnn.com, defenseone.com, facebook.com, newsbreak.com
