Donald Trump Jr., 48, and Eric Trump, 42, are positioning themselves in the US drone industry through a stock market transaction that is already attracting market attention. The two eldest sons of the American president are participating in the investment through vehicles closely linked to the Trump ecosystem. Their entry comes at a time when the sector is booming, driven by increased defense budgets and the proliferation of Pentagon procurement programs, in a context where Washington wants to secure its supply chains and accelerate domestic production. The stakes go beyond mere technological innovation, as drones have become a central tool for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and strike operations, including in recent military doctrines.
The company in question, Powerus, based in Palm Beach, Florida, has chosen a fast track to the financial markets by merging with Aureus Greenway Holdings. This company, little known to the general public, owns two golf courses near Orlando and is already listed on the Nasdaq, allowing Powerus to access the stock market without going through a traditional IPO. Following the announcement of the deal, Aureus Greenway's stock rose 12,3% on Monday, March 9, a sign of immediate investor interest. This type of merger, common in the United States, can accelerate fundraising, but it also exposes companies to high volatility and increased scrutiny from market regulators.
A financial arrangement that capitalizes on the new American rush towards drones.
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are investing through American Ventures and Unusual Machine, a drone component manufacturer in which Donald Trump Jr. is already a shareholder and sits on an advisory board. Unusual Machine's stock rose 5% the same day following the announcement. The reported funding amounts to $9 million, without details on each investor's share, which limits a precise understanding of their influence on governance. The presence of the Trump name, even indirectly, often gives these deals greater media visibility than other comparable cases, which can act as an accelerator but also as a polarizing factor for some counterparties.
Among the investors is also the South Korean fund Korea Climate & Governance Improvement Fund, based in Seoul, which plans to acquire up to $50 million worth of Powerus shares by April 6. This momentum illustrates the international appeal of a sector that has become strategic, driven by lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, where drones played a major role in battlefield observation and low-cost attrition. In the United States, rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the desire to reduce dependence on foreign components are reinforcing this race toward industrialization.
