April 28, 2026
Who is Profiting from Trump’s War?
We are now more than 8 weeks into Trump’s undeclared war with Iran. Congress has not authorized military action, and Republicans in Congress continue to block efforts by Democrats to limit the president’s authority. According to Al Jazeera, the 1973 War Powers Act sets a 60-day window following notification to Congress, which took place on March 2, at which time the president must either seek Congressional approval to continue operations, request a 30-day extension to wind down the operation, or, as others have done, simply ignore the requirement to consult with Congress. That window closes this Friday, May 1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/24/trumps-may-1-deadline-can-he-continue-war-on-iran-after-that
We are aware that this president is unconstrained by the rule of law. The corruption in his administration runs deep, involving the Trump family, his billionaire friends, and others within the “inner circle.” Which leads to the question posed above: “Who is profiting?”
Various estimates report the Iran war, or “Operation Epic Fury,” is costing Americans around 2 billion dollars per day. One Harvard University expert put the likely overall cost at more than ONE TRILLION DOLLARS overall. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/international-relations-security/why-war-iran-so-expensive#:~:text=The%20war%20in%20Iran%20costs,at%20least%20one%20trillion%20overall
This undeclared war is raising costs for the average American as inflation worsens. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-economic-impact-gas-prices-inflation-2026/
On the other hand, while regular Americans are hurting, there are many people and corporations who stand to make incredible amounts of money. We have several suggested actions this week, including a local protest, community support actions, and, as always, calls to your elected representatives.
WHAT TO DO
Share this information with your family and friends. Encourage them to join us in fighting back against the authoritarian regime.
Participate in a May Day action on Friday, May 1. This day is being promoted nationally as a general strike with No Work, No School, and No Shopping.” Whether that is an action you can take depends on your personal circumstances.
ICCV is holding a protest on Hwy 70 in front of Walmart, across from CVCC. Join us Friday from 4 – 6 PM as we promote “Workers Over Billionaires / Kids Over Corporations.” There are many other protests across the state, including a large protest in Raleigh sponsored by the North Carolina Association of Educators. For more information on “Kids Over Corporations,” go to https://www.ncae.org/.
On Saturday, May 2, to counter the effects of no shopping on May 1, and to make ICCV more visible to the community, we are supporting farmers markets, local small businesses, and lower income families. Members are encouraged to wear Indivisible t-shirts while out and about that day.
For more information about May Day and Indivisible Visibility Day, click here.
Please use https://5calls.org/issue/stop-iran-war/ or the bullet points below to contact your elected representatives.
- Senator Thom Tillis: (202) 224-6342
- Senator Ted Budd: (202) 224-3154
- Representative Pat Harrigan: (202) 225-2576
- Representative Virginia Foxx: (202) 225-2071
Call to demand:
- Complete transparency into the costs of this war and who is profiting from it.
- Investigation into the allegations of insider trading and war profiteering.
- Active Congressional involvement in decision-making about the war.
Reach out to your NC representatives https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators
- Demand that the legislature FINALLY approve a budget.
- Insist that people over profits, kids over corporations be central to any budget enacted.
You can also sign the petition at https://kidsovercorporations.org/add-your-name.html
Who Profits and Why It Matters
First and foremost, the Trump family stands to profit. His two older sons, Eric and Don, Jr., invested in a Florida company, Powerus, which is marketing drone interceptors to Middle Eastern countries. A former White House ethics lawyer indicates that “(t)hese countries are going to be under enormous pressure to buy from the sons of the president so he will do what they want.” https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/company-backed-by-trump-sons-looks-to-sell-drone-interceptors-to-gulf-states-being-attacked-by-iran
Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is acting as a volunteer negotiator with the Iranians is also seeking billions in funding for his private equity firm from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/04/jared-kushner-middle-east-peace-deal
Others profiting from the war are expected to be US oil companies and China. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/26/more-than-oil-prices-iran-war-threatens-to-reshape-global-energy-order
Defense contractors, such as Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, and Palantir stand to make billions as the government accelerates requests for defense production.
Individuals with advance information about Trump’s war actions are making millions in the prediction markets, which is clearly insider trading. https://peoplesworld.org/article/insider-trading-on-iran-takes-war-profiteering-to-a-new-level/
As discussed previously, a major sticking point in budget negotiations between the NC House and Senate has been the lowering of the corporate tax rate. In this instance, corporations are profiting, not from war, but from legislation that puts profits over citizens.
Thank you for everything you do to protect our democracy!
ICCV Legislative Committee
“With Liberty and Justice for ALL”