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Pakistan has signed a defence-related agreement with US drone manufacturer Powerus, securing an initial order for unmanned aerial systems as Islamabad seeks to strengthen its drone capabilities and deepen ties with the Trump administration.
The deal, which includes a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Army, highlights Pakistan’s efforts to leverage Washington’s emerging commercial and strategic interests under President Donald Trump. It also brings a Trump family-linked company into Pakistan’s defence procurement landscape, raising questions about the growing intersection of business and diplomacy in US–Pakistan relations.
Powerus confirmed the agreement in a statement on Thursday, saying it had received a limited procurement order from Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence for unmanned aerial systems and associated support. The company described the order as an expansion of its international defence business.
The announcement follows the four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025, during which drones featured prominently in military operations. India employed drones for reconnaissance, surveillance and precision strikes, while the conflict underscored the growing importance of unmanned systems in modern warfare.
The Powerus agreement comes ahead of the company’s planned merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings, a publicly traded company backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump through their investment fund, American Ventures.
Dominari Securities, an investment bank associated with the Trump brothers, has also been involved in capital raising for the transaction. Unusual Machines, a drone-parts supplier on whose advisory board Donald Trump Jr serves, is among the reported investors.
The transaction is part of a wider series of investments involving the Trump family in the drone industry, including a reported $1.5 billion February tie-up involving Israeli drone manufacturer XTEND and Florida-based JFB Construction Holdings.
The Pakistan agreement adds a defence dimension to Islamabad’s broader efforts to cultivate relationships with Trump-linked commercial interests.
In January, Pakistan signed an MoU with World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company co-founded by Zach Witkoff, the son of US special envoy and Trump aide Steve Witkoff. The agreement preceded the Powerus defence arrangement, as Islamabad pursued economic and financial initiatives aimed at strengthening ties with Washington.
However, the involvement of Trump family-linked investment interests has also drawn attention to the commercial dimension of the relationship.
However, Powerus CEO Andrew Fox rejected suggestions that the company’s growth or defence contracts were linked to the Trump brothers’ involvement, maintaining that contracts were awarded on merit and that they had no role in the company’s operations.
A spokesperson for Donald Trump Jr said he was a passive investor with an indirect holding and had no involvement in Powerus’s management, procurement or contract negotiations.
The White House also said there were no conflicts of interest.
The agreement nevertheless illustrates how Pakistan is seeking to combine defence modernisation with economic diplomacy as it pursues closer relations with Washington.
Whether the initial procurement order develops into broader technology transfers, local manufacturing and long-term defence cooperation will depend on subsequent agreements and government approvals.
Team BharatShakti
