Germany's Ministry of Defence is planning a significant procurement of combat drones, potentially worth up to 4.3 billion euros, with initial contracts for two German startups, Stark Defence and Helsing, totaling around 540 million euros. This ambitious deal, intended to bolster the Bundeswehr's capabilities amidst evolving threats, is overshadowed by the involvement of controversial US billionaire Peter Thiel, who holds a minority stake in Stark Defence. Concerns are mounting, particularly among the Green party, that Thiel's association could grant the US MAGA movement access to sensitive German military information. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has publicly acknowledged these concerns, stating that Thiel's actual influence on Stark Defence's operations must be clarified before a final decision is made. The Bundestag's budget committee is scheduled to vote on the procurement on Wednesday, with the outcome uncertain due to these unresolved questions.