Trump Brothers’ Defense Investments Linked to Billions in Pentagon Contracts

President Donald Trump announced a $6.6 billion investment partnership with Anduril Industries on Tuesday, marking the latest government funding agreement involving a company with ties to the president’s sons. The administration confirmed the Navy will contribute $2.9 billion toward a new manufacturing facility in Baltimore County, Maryland, designed to produce critical components for Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines.

“In a tremendous victory for our country and for the city of Baltimore, Anduril is investing $3.7 billion in a state-of-the-art shipyard that will be known forever as Arsenal-2,” Trump said during the event at Sparrows Point Shipyard.

1789 Capital, a venture capital firm where Donald Trump Jr. serves as one of six partners, acquired a significant stake in Anduril in June 2025 through a $2.5 billion investment. Since that transaction, Anduril has received approximately $1.8 billion in awards from 135 other U.S. government contracts, according to data posted on SAM.gov, the official system for federal contracting. Anduril, which has held contracts dating back to 2019, did not respond to requests for comment regarding its investment relationship with 1789 Capital.

An ABC News analysis determined that defense firms backed by the president’s sons, including Anduril, have collectively secured more than $6 billion in active or promised government contracts since those investments were made. This financial activity has prompted Congressional Oversight Democrats to urge the Pentagon’s inspector general to investigate the deals.

In a May letter to Pentagon Inspector General Platte B. Moring III, lawmakers Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, Robert Garcia, and Tammy Duckworth warned that refusing to investigate would raise concerns about the independence of the watchdog office.

A spokesperson for the Trump brothers denied any impropriety, stating that Donald and Eric Trump are experienced business leaders whose investment decisions are based on independent judgment. “Attempts to portray their ordinary investment activities as improper are a deliberate distortion of the facts,” the spokesperson said. The White House declined to comment.

Following his father’s election victory, Donald Trump Jr. was named an adviser to Florida-based drone manufacturer Unusual Machines, a company that had previously won no government contracts. In October 2025, Unusual Machines secured a direct Department of Defense agreement for 3,500 NDAA-compliant motors, with a potential order of 20,000 units expected in 2026.

The Trump brothers are also listed as notable investors in U.S. drone company Powerus. Shortly after the company announced its investment ties in March 2026, Powerus won its first Air Force purchase order. By July, it had been awarded up to $90 million for aerial-denial unmanned aircraft systems. A Powerus spokesperson emphasized that procurement is merit-based and clarified that neither Trump brother serves as an advisor or is involved in day-to-day operations; their interest is held indirectly through American Ventures.

Beyond drones, the brothers have invested more than $1 billion across mining, quantum computing, and aerospace sectors. Congressional Democrats specifically criticized Donald Trump Jr.’s portfolio regarding raw materials, citing an August 2025 investment in Vulcan Elements, a rare-earth mining company. That same month, the Office of Strategic Capital agreed to a joint $700 million conditional loan commitment to expand Vulcan Elements’ operations. Additionally, 1789 Capital invested $60 million in Firehawk Aerospace, which subsequently won a $4.9 million Air Force contract for hybrid rocket engine development.