"Trump loves the idea": US government also wants shares in TSMC, Samsung & Co.
The White House has confirmed that the USA is to become Intel's largest shareholder. Meanwhile, there are reports of further planned investments.
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The US government not only wants shares in Intel: Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is also looking into how the state could also acquire stakes in companies such as Micron, TSMC, and Samsung in return for subsidies. This was reported by the news agency Reuters, citing two insiders. The companies and the White House have not yet confirmed this. US President Donald Trump's spokesperson and Lutnick himself had previously confirmed the reports about the US government's planned investment in Intel. This would involve converting the financial aid agreed under the previous administration into equity. No voting rights are associated with the intended shares.
Chip factories for the USA
The promised financial aid, through which the US government now apparently wants to enter the semiconductor industry on a large scale, is part of the US Chips Act. This was passed in 2022 and is intended to promote the construction of US semiconductor plants with tens of billions of US dollars. Trump has always described the subsidies as a waste of money, preferring to use import tariffs to encourage the industry to manufacture its semiconductors in the USA. According to Reuters, the plan to give the state a stake in the companies in return for the subsidy money is being pushed by Lutnick, and “Trump loves the idea.” According to the report, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is playing more of a supporting role but is also involved.
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The US government's approach is extremely unusual. Experts have repeatedly pointed out that the entry plans show “how the White House is prepared to blur the boundaries between state and industry.” In the past, the US government has at most only invested in companies in times of crisis to provide money and build trust. Under Trump, the US government has already been given a “golden share” in the takeover of US steel company US Steel by Japanese rival Nippon Steel. This means that their approval is required for the relocation of US jobs, plant closures, and major takeovers in the country, among other things. In addition, Washington will share in the income from AI chips in China.
(mho)
