Powerus, a startup linked to the Trump family, plans to import Ukrainian drones

Capital market listing plan

US drone manufacturer Powerus is preparing to go public. According to Reuters, this will take place in early October through a merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings, whose shares are traded on Nasdaq. Aureus Greenway Holdings specialises in golf course management.

Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump hold an indirect stake in Aureus through the investment fund American Ventures. According to regulatory documents, following the merger, the fund is expected to receive a 9.9% beneficial ownership interest in the new company.

The Trump family's role and the advisory board

Powerus executives and representatives of the US President's sons emphasise that the Trump brothers are merely passive investors in Aureus and do not participate in the operational management of the drone company.

Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, former Trump envoy for Ukraine and retired US Army lieutenant general, who serves on Powerus's advisory board, stated: “Ніколи не завадить, щоб на чомусь було їхнє ім’я” (It never hurts to have their name on something).

Import-production partnership strategy

Over the past months, Powerus executives have told Reuters about plans to expand the business. The strategy involves acquiring other companies, forming international partnerships, and localising production in the US.

The main goal is to become an American hub that imports military technologies developed abroad, particularly in Ukraine, and manufactures the corresponding products on US soil.

Brett Velichovich, Powerus president and former analyst in the US Army Special Operations Command intelligence, said the company is in talks with Ukrainian defence enterprises. He noted that Powerus wants to add long-range strike drones to its portfolio and offer the Pentagon comprehensive solutions that combine foreign technologies with American representation.

Early stage of development and financial performance

Despite new deals, Reuters notes that Powerus is at an early stage of development. The company was registered in October last year, and as of early 2026, it had no revenue-generating activities.

Following a series of acquisitions at the beginning of the year, Powerus formed a range of air and maritime drones. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported sales of $1.2 million.

Developments and participation in Pentagon competitions

In March, Powerus presented the Guardian interceptor drones. According to Velichovich, this development was the result of joint work with Ukrainian partners.

The MatrixFold strike quadcopter, developed by the company, did not make it to the leaderboard of the second round of the Pentagon's "Drone Dominance" programme. This initiative is valued at $1 billion and aims for the rapid deployment of a large number of inexpensive strike UAVs. Velichovich explained that the competition's requirements regarding electronic warfare proved particularly challenging for the team.

International contracts and geographic expansion

Recently, Powerus announced it had received a contract from the US Air Force worth up to $90 million. The company also signed a commercial deal worth $22.3 million to protect energy infrastructure in the Middle East, although the client was not disclosed. Powerus also reports negotiations with Gulf states.

During a visit to Pakistan in mid-September, Powerus received a limited order from the country's defence ministry for aerial drones and associated support. The company signed a preliminary agreement with the Pakistan Army regarding potential cooperation and a memorandum of understanding with the Air Force, the details of which remained confidential. Pakistani military officials did not comment on these facts.

In Islamabad, Brett Velichovich told Reuters that the strategy involves combining American and Pakistani technologies. “Ми шукаємо способи, як потенційно могли б навіть виробляти цю технологію тут” (We are looking for ways in which we could potentially even manufacture this technology here), he added, noting that the company is actively meeting with local manufacturers.