Trump sons market drone interception technology to Gulf states

(SeaPRwire) –   A drone manufacturer supported by President Donald Trump’s two eldest sons is seeking to sell its products to Gulf nations at a time when those countries are facing attacks from Iran and relying on the U.S. military commanded by their father.

The sales push by Florida-headquartered Powerus — which revealed an agreement last month to enlist Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. — puts the firm in a position to possibly gain from a war initiated by their father.

“These nations are under immense pressure to purchase from the president’s sons so that he will act in their interests,” stated Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics attorney during President George W. Bush’s administration. “This will mark the first time a president’s family makes significant profits from a war — one that he launched without congressional approval.”

Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich told The Associated Press that the company is delivering sales presentations, including drone demos in multiple Gulf countries, to demonstrate how its defensive drone interceptors can help those nations fend off Iranian assaults.

“Our team is conducting numerous demonstrations across the Middle East currently for our interceptors,” Velicovich said in a text conversation. “We have extremely impressive technology that can save lives.”

He refused to identify the specific countries or provide additional details.

The agreement between the Trump brothers and Powerus may grant them substantial equity shares. Their father, in his role as commander in chief, carried out joint strikes with Israel against Iran more than a month ago, which started the war — the reason these Gulf countries now require protection.

When the Trump brothers’ stake was initially revealed, Powerus denied any conflicts of interest. Velicovich stressed the company’s commitment to helping the U.S. close the gap with Chinese and Russian drone manufacturers and outperform them.

“We’re at war, friend — we’re in an arms race, and America will lose if we don’t build quickly,” said Velicovich, an Army veteran who has been targeted by the same Russian drones now employed by Iran. He added, “We ought to be grateful that anyone is investing in American manufacturing right now. That principle goes beyond politics.”

Since their father took office once more, the president’s eldest sons have broadened their business interests beyond hotels and golf courses. The firms they’ve invested in or served as advisers for — holding equity stakes — span a wide range, from cryptocurrency projects to prediction markets to federal contractors producing rocket components and rare earth magnets.

This newest Trump-related venture is targeting the $1.1 billion allocated by the Pentagon to establish a U.S. manufacturing base for armed drones, filling the gap created when the Trump administration prohibited imports of such drones from China.

The Trump Organization, where the two sons serve as executives, did not respond to a request for comment, though it has rejected conflict-of-interest claims in the past. The sons have stated that they received no recognition for limiting their business expansion during their father’s first term, so they’ve chosen not to be as restrained this time around.

When asked specifically about potential conflicts of interest related to Powerus, Eric Trump provided a statement to AP last month: “I’m extremely proud to invest in companies I have faith in. Drones are undoubtedly the wave of the future.”

Established approximately a year ago by U.S. Army Special Operations veterans, Powerus produces drones for commercial purposes — from fertilizing crops to extinguishing forest fires. However, it is rapidly expanding to supply drones for military applications.

The company recently secured $60 million from investors and aims to access more funding through a “reverse merger” with a Trump-owned firm listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, which holds several Florida golf courses. This type of merger enables a private business to go public quickly by acquiring a company with existing publicly traded shares, reducing the time needed to file paperwork and meet the various requirements of a standard initial public offering.