Trump secures 10% US stake in Intel

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States government will acquire a 10-percent stake in chipmaker Intel, part of a deal linked to federal grants awarded under the CHIPS and Science Act.

Under the agreement, the government will receive 433.3 million shares of common stock, valued at $8.9 billion, with $5.7 billion coming from previously committed grants and $3.2 billion from Intel’s Secure Enclave program. The total support, including prior CHIPS grants, now reaches $11.1 billion.

Trump claimed on Truth Social that the US “paid nothing for these shares” after negotiations with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, adding that the arrangement “would be good having the United States as your partner.”

Intel said the government’s ownership will be passive, with no board representation or decision-making rights. The company also stressed its commitment to American-made technology, investing over $100 billion to expand operations in the US.

The deal has drawn criticism from analysts. Rob Enderle described it as a “slippery slope” toward nationalizing private business, while Scott Lincicome of the Cato Institute warned it could compromise Intel’s long-term viability and invite foreign targeting.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the agreement, saying it “strengthens US leadership in semiconductors.” Intel, once a dominant player in Silicon Valley, faces intense competition from Asian firms like TSMC and Samsung, which dominate the custom chip market.

Earlier this month, Trump had called for Tan’s resignation over alleged ties to Chinese firms, highlighting ongoing national security concerns in the semiconductor industry.