Trump-linked drone firm’s Pakistan deal raises questions over US arms thaw

A Florida-based defense startup, Powerus, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pakistan Army and secured an initial order for unmanned aerial systems, raising concerns in India about the potential reopening of U.S. military supplies to Pakistan. Powerus, a one-year-old company, is led by its president and co-founder Brett Velicovich, a former U.S. Army special operations intelligence analyst.

The company claims the initial order is limited, but Velicovich has expressed ambitions to combine American and Pakistani technology to potentially establish manufacturing in Pakistan.

Powerus has access to Ukrainian defense technology developed during the conflict with Russia and established a subsidiary, Powerus USA, to commercialize Ukrainian autonomous defense systems. The company's pioneering work includes the Guardian family of counter-drone interceptors, developed with Ukrainian technology and battlefield experience. This creates an unusual chain: Ukrainian drone technology now potentially being transferred to Pakistan, a nation with a rapidly expanding drone capability.

The political sensitivity is heightened by Powerus' links to the Trump family, with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump reportedly being investors in the company. The deal has also caused unease in some Pakistani circles due to Powerus' Israeli connections. Analysts question why Pakistan, which already builds its own drones and buys others from China and Turkey, would pursue this collaboration. Yet, others view it as Pakistan diversifying its suppliers amid heavy dependence on China for major weapons imports.

Interestingly, the deal has also piqued interest in India, as Powerus has already entered the Indian defense market. In June, Powerus' subsidiary, Tandem Defense, reportedly granted Mumbai-based Paras Defence and Space Technologies exclusive licensing rights to manufacture and commercialize Guardian-1 counter-drone interceptors in India. Thus, the same American company is now pursuing defense cooperation with both India and Pakistan, which fought a short war in May 2025 where drones played a prominent role.