INTERNATIONAL — February 18, 2026
Eric Trump Invests $1.5 Billion in Drone Industry Merger
Eric Trump is backing a $1.5 billion merger between Israeli drone maker XTEND and a Florida firm, with Unusual Machines also investing, amid growing Trump family business expansions and rising demand for drones in military use.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Hasht-e Subh — 2 min read
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and son of U.S. President Donald Trump, is investing in a $1.5 billion deal merging Israeli drone manufacturer XTEND with a Florida-based construction company.
Reuters reported on Feb. 17 that U.S. company Unusual Machines Inc. is also investing in the merger. The deal, structured as a stock swap, is expected to finalize by mid-2026.
The investment comes as the Trump family expands its business activities following Donald Trump's return to the White House. Cryptocurrencies linked to the family generated about $800 million in revenue in the first half of 2025.
Drones have gained prominence in the Ukraine war and rank among top-selling items for the U.S. Department of Defense, boosting investments in military technology firms. XTEND's AI-equipped systems have been used by the U.S. Department of Defense, Singapore, certain European countries, Britain and the Israeli Defense Forces as of July 2025, according to the companies involved.
Read the original reporting at Hasht-e Subh →
Reliability assessment
Single source citing Reuters with direct attribution, named companies (XTEND, Unusual Machines), specific amounts ($1.5B), timelines (mid-2026, July 2025), and users (U.S. DoD, Israel), providing concrete, checkable details.
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Hasht-e Subh
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International — Eric Trump, XTEND, Unusual Machines, drone industry, Trump Organization
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