Trump Administration Buys Stakes in 30 Companies, Including Nearly 10% of Intel
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 17
Trump Administration Buys Stakes in 30 Companies, Including Nearly 10% of Intel
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 17
Summary
$9 billion of federal support gave the Trump administration nearly a 10% stake in Intel, part of 30 government investments in private companies tracked across chips, minerals and quantum computing.
Those purchases were made without new congressional approval, often using money Congress had earmarked as CHIPS Act subsidies rather than equity investments, expanding Washington's direct financial interest in selected firms.
Critics including Cato analyst Tad DeHaven say even minority stakes can skew markets by encouraging the government to favor portfolio companies and disadvantage current or potential rivals.
The strategy mirrors ideas long associated with Bernie Sanders, including public profit-sharing and a possible sovereign wealth fund, even as Trump continues to denounce socialism and champion free enterprise.
The investments fit a broader pattern of interventionist economics under Trump, from tariffs and foreign currency support to pressure on oil markets, as polling shows Americans split 50% to 46% on capitalism.