Drone Firm Backed By Trump Sons Is Pitching UAE On Weapons Deal

Powerus, a drone company backed by President Donald Trump's eldest sons, has met with officials in Abu Dhabi to discuss selling weapons to the United Arab Emirates as the country looks to shore up its defence systems against attacks from Iran, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

West Palm Beach, Florida-based Powerus is one of several drone firms pitching advanced defence systems in the Gulf petrostate in the past month, one of the people said.

Defence manufacturers have been sending staff to crisscross the Gulf amid heightened demand for their products as the US-Israel war against Iran embroils the region.

The talks with Powerus haven't resulted in a finalised deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.

A spokeswoman for Powerus declined to comment.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Abu Dhabi's media office didn't respond to requests for comment.

The UAE's Ministry of Defence didn't respond to calls and an email seeking comment.

The negotiations underscore how the Iran war, into its second month, is increasing appetite for drone systems in the region.

Iran's fleet of low-cost drones set up a math problem for its adversaries: the US and its partners in the Middle East are confronting the Islamic Republic's small, rudimentary attack drones with American-made missile interceptors that cost millions of dollars to produce, expending costly resources designed for more complex threats.

The mismatch is creating potential opportunities for companies that make cheaper counter-drone defense systems, including Powerus.

Earlier this month, Powerus introduced an interceptor called Guardian-1, which is designed to take down "kamikaze" drones, including Iran's Shahed-136 attack drones.

The company plans to go public - by merging with a Nasdaq-listed golf-course operator - in a move announced earlier this month, with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump investing in the combined business.

The pair have been active investors in drone deals, and are also partners at a fund called American Ventures, which held stakes worth nearly $1 billion in drone companies.

They're also executives at the Trump Organisation, the family real estate business.

A spokeswoman for the Trump Organisation didn't respond to a request for comment.

Trump Jr.'s investments in defence technology are drawing scrutiny from the president's opponents in Congress.

In a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren asked for more information on government contracts awarded to Unusual Machines Inc., a drone-parts maker that Trump Jr. backed separately.

In a follow-up seeking additional information on Powerus last week, Warren asked whether the firm had received any government funds and questioned whether "contracts are being fairly awarded to companies based on our national security and defense requirements - rather than the financial interests of the president's family."

Unusual Machines also invested in the golf company that's taking Powerus public.

Former US military leaders are advising Powerus. General Charles Q. Brown, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg were both named strategic advisers to the company.

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