US government in talks to acquire stake in Intel

The Trump administration is reportedly exploring the possibility of the US government taking a financial stake in Intel, according to a Bloomberg report. The discussions follow a meeting this week between President Trump and Intel CEO Lip‑Bu Tan, who had recently faced calls from Trump to resign over his investments in Chinese technology firms linked to the military.

The potential investment appears aimed at accelerating the domestic manufacturing push, and particularly the delayed 28-billion-dollar chip plant in Ohio.

The talks are in early stages and remain speculative, as emphasized by White House spokesman Kush Desai: “Discussion about hypothetical deals should be regarded as speculation unless officially announced by the administration.” Intel similarly declined to offer details.

Update: the Trump administration is considering converting Chips Act funds into equity, according to a new report. The previously awarded grants add up to 10.9 billion dollars, which would buy a stake of over 10 percent. Separately, Japan’s Softbank has agreed to buy 2 billion dollars worth of (newly issued) Intel shares.