Money Grab/Give government contracts to family and donors
Companies backed by Trump’s sons collect $3.2B in federal business
On July 13, 2026, The Washington Post reported that 15 companies backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump had generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the brothers invested.
What happened
Donald Trump Jr. is a partner at 1789 Capital, and he and Eric Trump invest through it and American Ventures. Since the 2024 election those funds have backed at least 15 companies seeking federal business, many of them defense-technology startups.
On July 13, 2026, The Washington Post reported that those 15 companies had generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the brothers invested. That is in contracts, investments and loans, most of it after their father returned to office, plus $3.1 billion in options for future work. The Post built the tally from federal contracting databases and PitchBook.
Several of the companies won places on shortlists of pre-approved contractors eligible to bid on up to nearly $200 billion in future awards. Even excluding SpaceX and Anduril, they more than tripled their government awards compared with before the second term.
On August 5, 2026, Senators Warren, Blumenthal and Duckworth and Representative Garcia asked the Defense Department’s inspector general to investigate. They asked about the awards and whether ethics rules were followed. The $3.2 billion is public contract money, not payments to the family.
Who benefited
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump hold stakes worth more when their companies win government business. 1789 Capital has backed more than a dozen defense-tech firms since the election. The 15 companies took at least $3.2 billion from agencies their investors’ father runs.
Who wanted something
Each of the 15 companies sought Pentagon or other federal business and had the president’s sons as investors when it got it. The Post identified them but the record does not list them. Several gained spots on exclusive bidder lists.
Who lost out
The $3.2 billion is your money, awarded by agencies the president controls to companies his sons own part of. Another $3.1 billion sits in options. The competing bidders lacked the president’s sons on their investor list.
Why it matters
Federal agencies answer to the president, and companies his sons invest in have received at least $3.2 billion from them. The number tripled even without the two biggest names. Four members of Congress have asked the Pentagon’s watchdog to look; as of the sources found, it had not said whether it would.
Sources The Washington PostOffice of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (primary)House Oversight Committee Democrats (primary)The Philadelphia Inquirer