Trump's son invests in Israel's ‘low cost-per-kill’ drone company

Eric Trump is investing in an Israeli drone manufacturer whose weapons are being used in Gaza in a move critics say sits uneasily alongside his father’s claims that he wants to “bring peace” and eventually help reconstruct the devastated territory.

The investment is tied to a $1.5 billion merger between Israeli drone maker XTEND and Florida-based JFB Construction Holdings, a relatively small real estate developer.

The deal is designed to take XTEND public in the United States later this year, giving it broader access to American capital and manufacturing capacity.

XTEND’s drones are already notorious for genocide. The company says its systems have been used extensively by Israeli forces inside Gaza, flying into tunnels, breaking through windows, scouting buildings and, in some cases, carrying small explosives capable of blowing doors open before dropping grenades.

The company has promoted its products as offering a “low cost per kill,” language that has helped attract attention from the Pentagon.

The Pentagon has awarded XTEND multiple contracts, including a multimillion-dollar agreement confirmed in November 2024 and another worth $8.8 million in December.

This month, the company was selected for the Pentagon's Drone Dominance Program, an initiative aimed at rapidly scaling up the production of low-cost attack drones.

At the same time, Donald Trump has been publicly positioning himself as a dealmaker capable of ending the war in Gaza. He has spoken about brokering peace and floated ideas about reconstruction, suggesting that Gaza could be rebuilt into something economically viable after the war stops.

Critics argue that talk of rebuilding rings hollow when his own family is investing in companies whose products are being used in the ongoing genocide.

Since Israel launched its invasion of Gaza on October 7, 2023, Palestinian health authorities say at least 72,000 people have been killed and 172,000 wounded, most of them women and children.

The humanitarian toll has drawn widespread international condemnation and compelling charges of war crimes.

Eric Trump brushed off criticism, saying he’s “incredibly proud” to invest in companies he believes in and calling drones “the wave of the future.” He said XTEND has “unbelievable potential.”

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The case adds to long-running scrutiny over how the Trump family blends politics and business. During Trump’s first term, critics pointed to foreign government spending at Trump hotels and properties.

Since returning to political prominence, Trump has faced renewed questions over licensing deals, international partnerships and whether family members benefit from proximity to power.

The Gaza investment now adds another layer. XTEND’s expansion strategy depends in part on scaling up manufacturing in the United States and accessing US public markets. It also depends on Pentagon contracts awarded by an administration led by Eric Trump’s father.

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