A drone manufacturer backed by Donald Trump's two oldest sons is attempting to secure contracts with Gulf countries that are currently under attack by Iran and dependent on US military protection. Powerus, based in Florida, announced a deal last month to bring on board Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr as investors.
Richard Painter, former chief White House ethics lawyer under George W Bush, said the sales drive raises concerns about the first family profiting from a war started by the president without congressional consent. Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich confirmed the company is conducting demonstrations in several Gulf states to showcase its defensive drone interceptors against Iranian attacks.
Velicovich, an army veteran, noted an arms race with Chinese and Russian drone manufacturers, stressing the need for rapid American manufacturing. The Trump brothers' equity stakes could be sizable, and the Pentagon has allocated $1.1bn to build a domestic armed drone industry after the Trump administration banned Chinese imports.
Eric Trump defended the investment, calling drones 'the wave of the future'. The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment but has previously dismissed conflict-of-interest claims.
