Trump Weighs Government Stakes in AI Giants, Including OpenAI and Anthropic
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on June 5, 2026, President Trump said the U.S. government is considering acquiring equity stakes or profit-sharing arrangements in major AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, and that he plans to invite AI executives to the White House for talks. The move would extend the administration's "strategic stakes" approach—already applied to semiconductors, critical minerals and steel—into the artificial intelligence sector (Washington Post, Axios).
Trump said he envisions small stakes or profit-sharing in which "the American people become a partner," but no specific ownership percentage or dollar figure for the AI sector has been announced, with a meeting with AI executives scheduled for early June (Politico). The broader push spread rapidly as a depiction of the government acquiring stakes in private companies (details).
The AI proposal follows a series of stakes the administration has already taken in strategic firms. On August 22, 2025, it acquired a 9.9% stake in Intel through an investment of roughly $8.9 billion drawing on unpaid CHIPS and Science Act grants and other funds—a historic agreement to purchase 433.3 million shares at $20.47 per share (Intel). That was followed by stakes in critical-minerals firm MP Materials, a golden share in U.S. Steel and more than ten companies in total, with committed funds exceeding about $10 billion as of November 2025 (WSJ).
The main stakes are summarized below.
| Company/Sector | Action | Scale/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Intel | 9.9% equity stake | ~$8.9B, 433.3M shares, $20.47/share |
| U.S. Steel | golden share | One board seat plus permanent veto over plant closures, etc. |
| MP Materials (critical minerals) | equity stake | strategic minerals sector |
| AI giants (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) | stake/profit-sharing under review | percentage, amount unannounced; executive meeting planned |
Traditional U.S. industrial policy has centered on grants and tax incentives, and direct government ownership of private firms has been rare apart from the 2008 financial-crisis bailouts. In its second term, the Trump administration has shifted toward "strategic stakes" in the name of correcting China-dependent supply chains and national security, converting CHIPS Act funds into equity purchases as part of an assertive industrial policy (CSIS, Lawfare). Unlike past rescues such as GM, these deals are carried out with company consent and focus on security-related sectors including semiconductors, critical minerals, defense and AI.
Reaction is sharply divided. Supporters call it a natural national-security measure, citing the sharp rise in Intel's share price after the stake as evidence and framing it as a defensive tool against China. Critics, including the Cato Institute and some economic analysts, denounce it as "socialist" and "effective nationalization" and an overreach against free enterprise, warning of expanded government intervention in markets and the politicization of corporate decision-making (C-SPAN). While Intel's stock rose sharply after its deal, some observers say certain companies consented "under pressure" (Axios).
Applying the approach to AI firms is far less precedented than for chips or minerals, and debate over ownership ratios, profit-sharing frameworks and legal grounds is likely to intensify. The outcome of the early-June meeting with AI executives will be a key test of whether the idea takes concrete shape.