Top general fired by Trump joins drone firm backed by Trump’s sons

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ret. Gen. CQ Brown Jr., who was fired by President Trump last year, joined drone tech company Powerus, which that is backed by two of the president’s sons. 

Brown, who was ousted by Trump last February and replaced by Gen. Dan Caine, is joining the Florida-based Powerus as an executive-in-residence and senior adviser, the company announced Tuesday. 

In the role, the retired Air Force general, will advise the company on “defense strategy, autonomous systems deployment and national security partnerships,” to help “position the company at the forefront of U.S. leadership in AI-enabled autonomy and modern battlefield capabilities.” 

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen how the pace of technological change determines who leads and who falls behind. The companies that will define the future of American defense are the ones building real capability right now, not waiting for permission,” Brown said in a statement. “Powerus is doing exactly that. I’m joining because accelerating change to advance American autonomous systems isn’t optional; it’s a must.”

Earlier this month, Powerus said it will merge with Aureus Greenway Holdings (AGH), a golf course operator, with Powerus continuing as the surviving entity and AGH will adopt a new name “Powerus Corporation.”

Powerus, which was co-founded by former U.S. Army special operations veterans, produces autonomous drone systems for military and commercial use. It is partially owned by the president’s sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. as the company competes for Pentagon contracts. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended Trump’s firing of Brown last February, arguing on Fox News that he was “not the right man for the moment.”

Brett Velicovich, the Powerus co-founder and former special operations intelligence analyst, praised Brown on Thursday and added that his experience “means that the operational realities of the battlefield and the strategic vision of U.S. defense leadership are now embedded in everything we build.”

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