Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. have quietly backed a $1 billion investment network that's pouring money into industries the White House is actively promoting — artificial intelligence, drones, and cryptocurrency. The Financial Times reported Thursday that the Trump sons invested in vehicles launched by American Ventures, an investment arm controlled by Dominari Holdings, a financial group based in Trump Tower.
SEC filings show the brothers collectively own roughly 12% of Dominari, which in turn owns 90% of American Ventures. That entity has raised more than $1 billion across 21 investment vehicles, channeling money from wealthy investors and family offices into small-cap stocks and private companies tied to AI, crypto, drones, nuclear energy, and data centers — all sectors that stand to benefit from President Donald Trump's second-term policies on defense spending, industrial priorities, and deregulation.
The investment strategy closely mirrors White House priorities. Trump has promoted domestic drone manufacturing, AI infrastructure expansion, and cryptocurrency adoption during his second term. American Ventures has already backed XWELL, Inc. (XWELL (XWEL)), an airport wellness company planning to deploy AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It's also linked to a Kazakhstan tungsten mining project expected to operate through newly listed Kaz Resources under the ticker "KAZR."
The Trump-linked investment ecosystem has expanded into defense technology. Drone company Powerus, backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is pursuing a reverse merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. while targeting Pentagon-linked domestic drone manufacturing opportunities. Several Dominari-backed transactions have used reverse-merger structures, allowing private companies to enter public markets through listed shell companies instead of traditional IPOs — a faster, less scrutinized path than a standard IPO.
The growing network has drawn political and ethical scrutiny. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has previously criticized Trump-linked deals involving Pentagon-connected investments, and ethics experts have raised concerns about defense and infrastructure businesses tied to the president's family. Donald Trump Jr.'s spokesperson told the FT he is a passive investor and does not interface with the federal government on behalf of companies he invests in.
Whether this arrangement passes the smell test is an open question. But for now, the Trump family's financial interests are increasingly aligned with the sectors the White House is pushing hardest.
