Trump-Backed Drone Firm Emerges from Golf Course Merger

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – March 09, 2026 – In a striking pivot from leisure to defense, a publicly traded company known for its Florida golf courses is set to become a cornerstone of a new American drone and defense powerhouse. The move, which has attracted investment from Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., aims to create a dominant force in domestic autonomous systems manufacturing.

Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AGH), owner of two Orlando-area golf clubs, announced today a definitive merger agreement with Powerus, a private company founded by U.S. Army Special Operations veterans. The combined entity will be renamed Powerus Corporation and is expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “PUSA.”

The deal positions the new company to capitalize on a surge in U.S. military spending on unmanned systems and a strategic push to reduce reliance on foreign-made, particularly Chinese, drone technology. With high-profile political and financial backing, the venture aims to rapidly scale production to meet urgent geopolitical demands.

From Fairways to the Front Lines

The transformation of Aureus Greenway Holdings from a golf course operator into a defense technology firm is one of the most unconventional strategic shifts in recent market history. The company, whose primary assets are the Kissimmee Bay and Remington Golf Clubs, will see its business fundamentally reshaped through a reverse merger that provides Powerus a fast track to the public markets.

While the golf properties are expected to continue operations, the press release intriguingly suggests they may serve as “proving grounds for Powerus precision agriculture drone systems,” hinting at a dual-use future for the real estate assets. However, the core focus is undeniably the high-stakes world of defense. The financial rationale is clear: Powerus CEO Andrew Fox previously noted that the drone market “is certainly going to grow faster than, say, golf courses are.”

Central to the deal's high profile is the involvement of the Trump family. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are notable investors through their firm, American Venture Partners. Their financial footprint extends further, with both brothers holding stakes in Dominari Holdings, whose subsidiary Dominari Securities is acting as a placement agent and financial advisor for the transaction. Donald Trump Jr. is also a shareholder and advisory board member of Unusual Machines Inc. (UMAC), a drone-parts company that participated in a recent $9 million private placement for AGH.

This network of investments places the Trump brothers in a pivotal position within a company poised to compete for major Pentagon contracts, a situation likely to attract significant political and ethical scrutiny. The merger comes as the U.S. defense apparatus, influenced by policies set during the Trump administration to restrict Chinese drone imports, is actively seeking to build a robust domestic drone industrial base.

Forged in Combat: A Veteran-Led Vision

At the heart of the new corporation is Powerus, a company built by individuals with direct battlefield experience. Co-founded by former U.S. Army special operations veteran Brett Velicovich, the company’s leadership touts an “operator-first” philosophy, arguing that their time in active conflict zones gives them unparalleled insight into what modern warfighters need from autonomous technology.

“Powerus was built by individuals who have spent years operating in active combat environments where this technology must perform,” Velicovich stated in the announcement. “We know what works, we’ve seen what fails, and what operators relying on these systems actually need because we have been alongside them in battle. That knowledge shapes every decision we make.”

Powerus operates as an integrated platform through three wholly-owned subsidiaries, each targeting a critical segment of the unmanned systems market:

• Kaizen Aerospace, Inc.: Specializes in heavy-lift unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including the modular xFold Dragon series. These drones are capable of carrying payloads over 500 pounds and are designed for complex logistics, industrial use, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
• Tandem Defense LLC: Focuses on tactical platforms. Its flagship product, the MATRIX I: INTERCEPTOR, is a high-speed counter-drone system designed to kinetically intercept one-way attack drones like the Iranian-made Shahed-136. Tandem Defense claims its systems are already deployed across every U.S. military branch and with over a dozen allied nations.
• Agile Autonomy LLC: Develops the crucial software and maritime systems that enable multi-domain operations, allowing air and sea drones to work in concert.

This vertical integration is key to the company's ambitious goal of producing over 10,000 drones per month—a production scale that would position it as a leader in the U.S. market and a key supplier for the Pentagon’s “Replicator” initiative, which aims to field thousands of autonomous systems to counter China’s military mass.

The Global Supply Chain and Strategic Capital

Achieving this level of production and technological independence requires not only vision but also substantial and strategic capital. A cornerstone of the new company's financial strategy is a $50 million investment from the Korea Climate & Governance Improvement Fund (KCGI), a prominent Seoul-based private equity group.

This investment is more than just cash; it is a strategic partnership designed to grant Powerus access to an “allied-nation supply chain network.” This is a critical element in the effort to move away from reliance on non-allied nations for essential components, particularly the rare earth elements and microelectronics often sourced from China. The KCGI backing underscores a growing trend of U.S.-allied collaboration to secure defense technology supply chains.

Further bolstering its finances, AGH recently closed an approximately $9 million private placement with investors including the Agostinelli Group and Unusual Machines, Inc. (UMAC). UMAC's participation is particularly noteworthy, as the company is an established supplier of drone motors and components to the U.S. Army, creating a synergistic link within the Powerus supply and manufacturing ecosystem.

Kyle Wool, President of Dominari Holdings, emphasized the national security imperative behind the deal. “We believe strongly in the critical importance of building this technology here in America,” Wool stated. “Drone technology is increasingly central to modern security and infrastructure, and America must lead in this critical area.”

As the merger proceeds toward an expected closing in the summer of 2026, the newly formed Powerus Corporation will face a complex and competitive landscape. It enters a market populated by established defense giants like Lockheed Martin and specialized drone leaders like AeroVironment. However, its unique combination of veteran leadership, integrated technology, high-profile backing, and a clear focus on domestic, at-scale manufacturing gives it a distinct position. The challenge will be to execute its ambitious production goals while navigating the intense scrutiny that its powerful connections will inevitably attract.