NEW YORK, March 10 — Donald Trump’s sons are backing a new business venture to produce autonomous drones, including defense systems, adding to conflict-of-interest questions as the US president directs military operations in Iran.

Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are “notable investors” in the merger of autonomous drone company Powerus and the publicly-traded Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc., which manages golf courses in Florida, according to an Auerus press release yesterday. 

The combined company, which will take the name Powerus, builds autonomous drones for “military and commercial use in high-risk environments,” according to a press release that described the Middle East war as proof of the project’s viability.

“The need for and uses of autonomous technologies, such as those produced by Powerus, are front page news given developments in the Middle East and elsewhere,” said Matthew Saker, interim chief executive of AGH.

“This business combination is not just a compelling opportunity for AGH stockholders, but one made even more relevant by current geopolitical uncertainties.”

Under Trump’s leadership, the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on February, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Jordan Libowitz, vice president for the NGO Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics called the Powerus venture “eyebrow-raising in an administration full of eye-brow raising conflicts of interests.”

“This comes at a time when there is a reported great need for the number of drones due to war started in part by (Trump), which will last as long as the president wants it to,” Libowitz said.

“It raises some concerns that the president has committed America to a war that may be making money for his own family.” he added.

Donald Trump Jr. has previously invested in another drone startup, Unusual Machines, which was also listed in the AGH press release as a supporter of the Powerus ventures.

CREW has issued several reports accusing the Trump administration of conflict of interest, including the interplay of the Trump family’s cryptocurrency ventures and the White House’s promotion of digital currencies. — AFP