Trump Administration Reportedly in Talks to Acquire Stake in Intel

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Recent reports indicate that the Trump administration is in preliminary negotiations to acquire a stake in Intel, though the size of the potential investment remains unclear. Sources stress that the talks are still in the early stages and may not result in a finalized deal.

This development marks another example of the U.S. government’s increasing intervention in the semiconductor industry. The news comes just a week after President Trump publicly called for the resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. According to reports, the idea of a government stake arose during a meeting between Trump and Tan earlier this week.

If completed, the investment would help support Intel’s long-delayed chip manufacturing complex in Ohio. Once a dominant leader in the global chip market, Intel has faced financial struggles that stalled its manufacturing ambitions. While the company was originally expected to benefit significantly from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, that program’s future has become uncertain under the current administration.

For Intel, government support could provide much-needed financial relief amid ongoing cost-cutting measures and layoffs. The potential deal would also likely keep Lip-Bu Tan in place as CEO.

This possible investment follows another unconventional move by the Trump administration: securing a 15% share of advanced AI chip revenues that Nvidia and AMD generate in China. Such direct financial stakes in private companies represent a significant shift in U.S. industrial policy, echoing the Department of Defense’s earlier acquisition of a $400 million preferred stake in rare-earth producer MP Materials Corp.

Intel has so far declined to comment, saying only that it is “firmly committed to supporting President Trump’s efforts to strengthen U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership.” A White House spokesperson added that any discussion of potential deals should be regarded as speculation until officially confirmed.