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 · 5 min read
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. 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.