Eric Trump-Backed Company Could Send Robot Soldiers Into Hamas Tunnels
An American robotics company backed by Eric Trump is negotiating a potentially massive deal to send humanoid robots into Hamas's underground tunnel network in Gaza, where the machines could eventually fight alongside Israeli soldiers.
Francis Kapper·Nov 12, 2026·6 min read
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An American robotics company backed by Eric Trump is negotiating a potentially massive deal to send humanoid robots into Hamas’s underground tunnel network in Gaza, where the machines could eventually fight alongside Israeli soldiers.
Foundation Future Industries is discussing the potential sale of up to 1,000 Phantom MK1 robots to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to the Financial Times. The proposed deployment could place American-made humanoid machines inside one of the world’s most dangerous underground battlefields, with missions ranging from detecting explosives to potentially engaging enemy combatants.
The robots could patrol underground passageways, identify tripwires and neutralize booby traps, according to company co-founder and president Mike LeBlanc, the Financial Times reported. The machines could eventually take on more direct combat responsibilities, although the company’s proposed military applications have not been independently verified.
Foundation Future Industries did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Daily Caller News Foundation attempted to contact Eric Trump through The Trump Organization’s press office, which did not immediately respond.
A video posted on X by Reuters shows exactly what these robots look like in action.
LeBlanc met with senior Israeli military officials in September and brought one of the company’s Phantom MK1 robots into tunnels beneath Gaza, according to the Financial Times
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. The company has also held discussions with Israel’s highest-ranking military leadership, he said.
Negotiations remain preliminary, and Israeli authorities have not publicly confirmed plans to purchase the robots. The IDF referred questions about the discussions to Israel’s Defense Ministry, which declined to comment, the Financial Times reported.
The proposed deployment would introduce a new type of robotic system into an underground battlefield where Israeli soldiers have repeatedly encountered explosives, concealed weapons and fortified positions.
Israeli combat engineers previously discovered a Hamas tunnel stretching approximately 1.5 kilometers beneath Khan Yunis, along with weapons and ammunition, according to a June 2025 IDF announcement. Israeli troops also discovered structures rigged with approximately five tons of explosives during operations in the area.
Another operation uncovered an underground passageway containing several booby-trapped entrances in southern Gaza, according to a May 2025 IDF statement. Israeli soldiers encountered Hamas militants emerging from one of the entrances before destroying the underground infrastructure.
Such dangers have already proved deadly for Israeli troops.
Three Israeli soldiers were killed after explosive devices detonated during an operation involving a booby-trapped tunnel shaft in Gaza in May 2024, according to the IDF.
Sending machines into these environments could reduce the need for soldiers to enter unfamiliar passageways, although the robots’ ability to navigate damaged tunnels, avoid obstacles and disable explosives under battlefield conditions remains uncertain.
Foundation’s Phantom MK1 stands approximately six feet tall and weighs around 176 pounds, with articulated limbs designed to navigate human environments, according to the company’s specifications reported by Robot24. The company has advertised the platform for military reconnaissance, inspection and logistical operations.
The company’s ambitions extend beyond carrying equipment or inspecting dangerous locations.
Foundation is developing potential weapons capabilities for its humanoid robots, although the company has not publicly demonstrated that its machines can conduct reliable autonomous combat operations, CEO Sankaet Pathak told WIRED in July.
The 💻Technology faces significant practical challenges, including navigating unpredictable terrain, maintaining stability and accurately interpreting complex surroundings. Robotics researchers have questioned whether humanoid machines are sufficiently reliable for dangerous military environments, according to WIRED.
Foundation has already experimented with its robots in another active war zone.
The company delivered two Phantom MK1 robots to Ukraine in February for military evaluation, initially focusing on reconnaissance and logistical support, according to TIME. The deployment was intended to help engineers determine whether humanoid machines could operate under actual battlefield conditions.
The robots were evaluated for transporting equipment and conducting tasks in dangerous areas, although they were not reported to have engaged enemy forces with weapons, according to Militarnyi.
Foundation has also been developing a more advanced Phantom MK2 model incorporating processors from American semiconductor manufacturer AMD.
An X post from Open Source Intel shows press photos of the Phantom robot, including an image where the robot is appearing to throw a punch, alluding to the combat potential of these humanoid robots.
The upgraded machines will use AMD’s Ryzen AI Embedded X100 series processors to support autonomous robotics applications, Reuters reported, citing the companies’ partnership announcement in July.
Foundation planned to establish a factory capable of manufacturing 5,000 robots annually, with ambitions for another facility capable of producing 50,000 machines each year, Pathak told Reuters in July. Those figures represent production plans rather than independently verified output.
The company previously sold military-oriented robots for approximately $300,000 each, according to Pathak’s comments to Reuters.
At that price, a hypothetical order of 1,000 machines would cost approximately $300 million before accounting for maintenance, training, specialized equipment or other expenses. However, no final contract price or Israeli procurement commitment has been publicly disclosed.
Eric Trump became Foundation’s chief strategic adviser in March after investing in the company and continues to hold an ownership stake, according to the Financial Times.
Foundation and a company it acquired have received more than $70 million in American military contracts and development funding, according to LeBlanc, the Financial Times reported. The total reportedly includes a significant procurement award issued after Eric Trump joined the business.
Those financial relationships have generated scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers concerned about potential conflicts of interest involving Trump family investments and government contracting.
Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about possible corruption involving the military awards, according to the Financial Times.
LeBlanc denied that Eric Trump’s involvement helped Foundation secure government contracts. A spokesperson for the president’s son similarly maintained that he does not participate in the company’s daily operations or government contracting activities, according to the Financial Times.
The proposed Israeli deployment also raises questions about the future role of autonomous weapons in modern warfare.
Military robots can potentially reduce casualties by undertaking dangerous assignments, but allowing autonomous systems to make lethal decisions remains contentious among defense researchers and international legal experts, according to the Financial Times.
For now, it remains unclear whether the proposed machines would operate under direct human control, employ autonomous navigation or eventually receive permission to engage targets independently.
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