Donald Trump Jr. has significantly expanded his corporate influence since his father, Donald Trump, won the U.S. presidential election in November 2016. In one prominent example, a week after taking office, he joined the board of drone startup Unusual Machines. This decision paved the way for a string of corporate appointments that would cement his reputation and carve out deepfakes’ place across multiple industries.
After his father’s electoral success, competition between companies for a seat on their boards for Donald Trump Jr exploded. His strategic appointment to Unusual Machines came at the right time, when more and more businesses were looking for ways to connect to the Trump name. Donald Trump Jr. just kept piling them on. Perhaps most strikingly, this included joining the board of Trump Media & Technology Group in 2022, his only board seat between 2020 and 2025.
In the time since Election Day in 2024, Donald Trump Jr. became a board member of five new companies. Out of all the appointments, perhaps the most egregious is with gun retailer GrabAGun. His appointment at GrabAGun was followed by the biggest short squeeze in Arkansas history with the company’s shares tripling in a matter of days. It’s no wonder the market reacted negatively and so quickly to his being linked with the brand. This recent windfall speaks to the remarkable and corrupting power that his family’s name carries in the corporate world.
In February, financial advisory firm Dominari Holdings announced that both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump would join its advisory board. This extension has the added benefit of showing that their continued engagement in commercially viable business ventures is still in high demand. Following the announcement, Dominari Holdings’ stock soared. After all, they went from about $3 to $13 over only a few days time.
Even though stock prices have quickly appreciated since Donald Trump Jr. joined the board. This latest spike poses some important questions about the relationship between celebrity influence and corporate performance. His participation lends third-party credibility and fuels speculative interest in the market. As you can imagine, companies are eager to cash in on this benefit.
