U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is looking into the federal government taking equity stakes in computer chip manufacturers that receive CHIPS Act funding to build factories in the country, two sources said.

The Trump administration is reportedly discussing a deal to take a 10% stake in Intel, which could potentially leverage Chips Act funding as part of the equity.

The back-to-back news items signal a public and private sector commitment to domestic semiconductor production and underscore Intel's importance.

Owning the Means of Production The Trump administration’s push for a 10% equity stake in Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), leveraging $10.9 billion in CHIPS Act grants — $7.9 billion for domestic investments and $3 billion for defense microelectronics — has ignited debate.

Yet Intel still matters, as Mr Trump’s interest shows. The most advanced chips, vital for smartphones and AI, are now made almost entirely by TSMC. America’s tech giants depend on it. Such reliance on a single supplier—particularly one based in Taiwan—is risky.

Lutnick just laughed it off, indignantly pointing out that “we were just giving away the money” under the previous terms of the CHIPS Act. But the legality of any equity stake would likely be challenged by both Intel shareholders and competitors in the industry, according to the Times.

The US government is in discussions to potentially take a partial ownership stake in Intel, according to an Aug. 18 report by Bloomberg. The deal could help accelerate the construction of Intel’s long-delayed semiconductor manufacturing plant in Ohio.

Intel stock falls as the company seeks more investors after SoftBank deal and Trump administration considers equity stake.

Micron, TSMC, and more have also been awarded billions in subisidies The US government is considering taking a stake in Intel and other semiconductor companies that benefit from CHIPS Act funding, according to officials from the Trump administration.