Trump Admin Considers Taking Government Stakes in AI Companies

The Trump administration has been quietly exploring whether the US government should take direct equity stakes in major AI companies, according to a report published today by Semafor. The discussions represent a dramatic shift in how Washington relates to the artificial intelligence industry — moving from writing rules to holding direct ownership in the firms it oversees.

Two Competing Visions for Government AI Stakes

Senior administration officials have been debating two distinct approaches to structuring potential ownership positions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has pushed for using equity in AI firms to seed so-called Trump Accounts, which would distribute financial returns directly to American citizens. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, on the other hand, has advocated routing investments through a sovereign wealth fund — a government-controlled investment vehicle similar to those used by countries like Saudi Arabia and Norway.

The concept originated partly from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who pitched the idea of AI companies donating equity to the federal government. OpenAI later formalized the proposal in a thirteen-page policy paper published in April titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age. With leading companies like OpenAI and Anthropic potentially reaching one trillion dollars in valuation, even a modest government stake could become enormously valuable over time.

Industry Pushback and Political Resistance

Despite the ambition behind the proposal, most major AI firms — with the notable exception of OpenAI — have rejected the concept outright. Industry leaders have expressed deep skepticism about government ownership, questioning whether Washington should become a direct stakeholder in the very companies it also regulates. Republican senators including Cynthia Lummis and John Kennedy have separately raised concerns about the approach.

The discussions remain in early stages with no final decision made. A planned meeting between President Trump and approximately fifteen top AI executives has not yet taken place. The administration has already taken equity positions in Intel and other technology companies during this presidential term, and Trump signed an executive order in February calling for the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund.

Whether Washington ultimately becomes a shareholder in the companies building the next generation of artificial intelligence remains uncertain, but the conversation itself signals a fundamental new chapter in the relationship between the US government and the technology industry.