A small company backed by a fund tied to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump won nearly $40 million in federal Ebola contracts despite no Ebola experience, a news investigation reports, and the sons say they were only passive investors.
Story Snapshot
- XpresTest won an $18.8 million contract from the CDC, the federal disease agency, to screen airport travelers for Ebola and a $20 million State Department award to fight outbreaks in Congo, according to the report.
- The awards came months after a fund linked to the president’s two eldest sons put about $30 million into XpresTest’s parent company, XWELL.
- A spokesperson for the sons said they were “merely passive, minority investors” with no role in any contract.
- The State Department said its award came through “a competitive process.”
- XWELL started as an airport spa company, and last year most of its money came from airport spas and waxing salons.
What The Contracts Are And When They Landed
The investigation was published on Monday, November 9. It reports that XpresTest won two federal awards worth nearly $40 million in all. The reason the story drew attention is timing and track record: the money came months after a fund tied to the Trump sons invested in the company’s parent, and XpresTest had never worked with Ebola or done disease work overseas. Ebola is a deadly virus. An outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 5,000 people this year, according to the report.
➡️ Firm Linked to Trump’s Sons Got Nearly $40 Million in Federal Contracts to Screen for Ebola and Other Diseases
– XpresTest has years of experience conducting disease screening in U.S. airports but ➡️ has never worked with Ebola or provided biosecurity services…
— K-in-CT 😷😷😷 (@KinCONN) November 10, 2026
In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave XpresTest an $18.8 million contract for “Ebola entry screening services.” That means checking travelers who arrive at U.S. airports for signs of the disease. The State Department then gave the company a $20 million award to respond to disease outbreaks in Congo. That work began in September. The two awards are about seven times the value of all the federal contracts the company had won directly before, according to the report.
Who Invested And What The Sons Say
In February, a fund called American Ventures put about $30 million into XWELL, the report says. The fund was launched by Dominari Holdings, a financial firm with offices in Trump Tower. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are advisers to Dominari and hold a stake of more than 10% in it. XWELL started as an airport spa company, and last year most of its money came from airport spas and waxing salons.
A spokesperson for the sons said they are “merely passive, minority investors in a fund that invested in this company.” A passive investor puts in money but does not help run the business. The spokesperson said they had no “involvement in or knowledge regarding the negotiation or procurement of any of its contracts, including any government contracts.” The spokesperson added that both men are private citizens who hold no government jobs and have broken no laws. Anthony Hayes, the chief executive of Dominari, said he had never seen or heard of the sons using their family name to win a government contract.
What The Company And The Government Said
Ezra Ernst, the chief executive of XWELL, said the company won the contracts through competitive bidding. He also called the Ebola work “a new thing for us” and said, “This is a risky contract. I’m not sure we can do it.” In July, XWELL announced plans to sell XpresTest to a private spa company for $13 million, and Ernst said the contracts would move to the buyer.
The State Department pointed to the company’s earlier work screening airport travelers for the CDC. It said its award was made “through a competitive process that builds on this successful model.” The CDC did not respond to a request for comment, according to the report. Jeremy Konyndyk, who helped lead the U.S. response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said it was worrying to give such a contract to a firm with no experience in Africa.
Bottom Line For Readers
The report does not show that the sons steered the awards, and they deny any role. What it does show is a small spa-and-testing company, newly backed by a Trump-linked fund, winning nearly $40 million for Ebola work it had never done. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said waste and lost trust follow when government is used for personal gain. Democrats are expected to press on the Trump family’s business ties to government deals after winning the House and Senate in the midterm elections.
Sources:
propublica.org, saharareporters.com, newser.com
