Intel may cede 10 pc ownership to US government under Trump's industrial push

President Donald Trump has said that Intel Corp will hand the US government a 10 per cent equity stake, in what he described as a “multibillion-dollar win for taxpayers” and a historic shift in industrial policy. A formal announcement is expected on Friday, according to people briefed on the matter.

The agreement, if confirmed, would mark an unprecedented level of government intervention in a major American technology company. Such arrangements have traditionally been limited to moments of national crisis, such as wartime or financial emergencies.

Trump cast the deal as both a turning point for the struggling chipmaker and a model for how Washington intends to support strategically important industries. “This is the beginning of a new era,” he said, framing the move as evidence that taxpayers would see tangible returns from federal backing.

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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reinforced that message earlier in the week, telling CNBC the administration’s aim was to secure value rather than rely on traditional subsidies. “The goal is to get a good return for the American taxpayer instead of just giving grants away,” he said.

Intel declined to comment on the timing of the announcement. News of the arrangement sent the company’s shares climbing as much as 6.6 per cent on Friday.

Analysts said the equity-for-support approach could have far-reaching consequences, signalling that Washington is willing to take direct ownership stakes in critical sectors such as semiconductors, which are at the centre of both global supply chain tensions and national security concerns.