By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Powerus, a US drone maker preparing to merge with a company backed by two of President Donald Trump’s sons, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army that includes an initial order for unmanned aerial systems, according to co-founder Brett Velicovich.
Velicovich told Reuters on Wednesday that the agreement, signed in Islamabad, covers systems that fall within the unmanned aerial category, though he declined to specify the underlying technology or disclose the order’s value, citing security sensitivities and confidentiality obligations. The MoU and the accompanying order had not previously been reported.
Powerus supplies aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial customers. The company is due to merge with Aureus Greenway Holdings, a publicly traded firm in which Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump hold a stake through an investment vehicle called American Ventures. Both companies have said they expect the transaction to close in early October. Regulatory filings show American Ventures is set to hold a 9.9% beneficial ownership interest in the combined entity once the deal is completed.
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, confirmed Wednesday that a Powerus delegation led by Velicovich met with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the country’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The two sides discussed defense procurement, production and long-term capacity building, according to the ISPR statement, which made no mention of the MoU or the order. ISPR did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the agreement outside of normal business hours.
The deal lands as ties between Washington and Islamabad continue to warm under Trump, following years of strained relations between the two countries. Trump has repeatedly praised Munir, and Pakistan has in turn pursued a series of economic, financial and defense initiatives aimed at deepening its relationship with the US.
Andrew Fox, Powerus’ founder and chief executive officer, described Pakistan’s private defense sector as “emerging but still not mature,” a gap he said gives American firms room to move faster than local competitors. Velicovich said the ambition extends beyond a single transaction.
“The goal would be a joint technology relationship, pairing best-in-breed technology from the US with best-in-breed technology from Pakistan,” Velicovich said, adding that Powerus is examining options for building technology locally in the country.
Fox pushed back on any suggestion that the company’s expansion is connected to the Trump family’s financial stake, saying contracts are awarded strictly on merit and that the Trump sons have “no involvement on the business side” of Powerus.
A spokesperson for Donald Trump Jr. said he is a passive investor with an indirect holding in the venture. “Don has no involvement whatsoever in the management or operations of Powerus and plays absolutely no role in the procurement of contracts in the United States or abroad,” the spokesperson said. “He had no prior knowledge of this deal and had no involvement of any kind in its negotiation, procurement or execution.” Eric Trump could not immediately be reached for comment.
Anna Kelly, special assistant to the president and principal deputy White House press secretary, said in a statement: “There are no conflicts of interest.”
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