Trump-Linked Investment Group Backs Airport Wellness Firm Ahead Of 2026 World Cup

A Trump family-linked investment group has agreed to back XWELL, Inc. (NASDAQ:XWEL) , a wellness and biosecurity company planning to deploy AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reported the Financial Times . American Ventures, a special purpose vehicle managed by Trump Tower-based broker Dominari Securities, agreed in late February to purchase $31.3 million of convertible preferred shares in XWell. At the time, XWell carried a market capitalisation of under $3 million. The 31,333 preferred shares were priced at $1,000 each, convertible into 66.6 million common shares at an initial conversion price of $0.47, according to securities filings. AI Screening At Scale The investment closed three weeks after XWell partnered with AI predictive analysis start-up PieQ. The two companies plan to deploy what they describe as a “next generation intelligence layer” to manage anticipated travel surges around major international events, beginning with the World Cup. Through subsidiaries, XWell provides voluntary diagnostic tests to incoming international travelers, funded in part through U.S. government contract awards. The company also operates 25 XpresSpa outlets across airports in the U.S., the UAE and Turkey, alongside a waxing salon chain in southwest Florida. XWell reported a net loss of $17 million in 2025 on revenue of $29.2 million. Trump Ties Under Scrutiny It was not immediately clear whether Eric Trump or Donald Trump Jr. personally invested in XWell, though a person familiar with the matter said the Trumps were involved in “most” American Ventures deals. Neither responded to requests for comment. Dominari declined to comment. The pair joined Dominari’s advisory board in late 2024. They have separately used a different American Ventures vehicle to invest in Powerus, a drone company pursuing a Pentagon contract and a reverse merger with Aureus Greenway Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:AGH). The XWell deal adds to a broader pattern of Trump family commercial activity drawing scrutiny. The Trump family reportedly received $187 million from an Abu Dhabi royal-backed firm days before President Trump’s inauguration, months before the UAE secured 500,000 advanced AI chips annually. Eric Trump signed a separate $500 million investment agreement with Sheikh Tahnoon, the UAE’s national security adviser, through World Liberty Financial. Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that XWEL has a positive price trend across all time frames. Disclaimer: This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image via Shutterstock/ noamgalai