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Sources say Trump is interested in buying stakes from the US government in chipmakers that have received funds under the CHIPS Act.

Two sources claim that U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is investigating the possibility that the federal government could take equity stakes into computer chip companies that receive CHIPS Act funds to build factories within the country.

A White House official, as well as a person who is familiar with the situation, said that Lutnick was exploring ways to get equity stakes from companies like Micron, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, and Samsung in exchange for CHIPS Act funds. The funding is still being distributed.

Micron, a memory chip manufacturer, is the largest recipient of CHIPS Act funds in the United States. TSMC declined to comment. Micron, Samsung, and the White House declined to comment. Karoline Lavitt, White House Press Secretary confirmed Tuesday that Lutnick is working on a deal to acquire a 10% stake in Intel. She told reporters that the president wanted to put America's interests first from both a national and economic perspective.

Lutnick had said on CNBC earlier that the U.S. did not want to tell Intel what to do, but any investment would be unprecedented. It would also usher in a new age of U.S. power over the large companies. The U.S. took stakes in many companies in the past to build confidence and provide cash during times of economic turmoil and uncertainty.

Trump made a similar decision earlier this year when he approved Nippon Steel’s purchase of U.S. Steel. He was promised a “golden share” that would prevent companies from delaying or canceling promised investments, moving production or jobs overseas, or closing plants or idled them before certain deadlines, without his consent.

Two sources confirmed that Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary, is also involved in CHIPS Act discussions. However, Lutnick is the one driving the process. Commerce Department is responsible for the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act. This act was formerly known as the CHIPS and Science Act. The act provides grants and funding for the construction of chip plants in America.

Sources said that Lutnick had been pushing for equity, and Trump liked the idea.

The U.S. Commerce Department finalized the subsidies for Samsung and Micron in late 2012, with TSMC receiving $6.6 billion.

Lutnick stated in June that the Department was renegotiating some of former president Joe Biden's grant to semiconductor firms. He called them "overly liberal". Lutnick noted that Micron had offered to increase spending on its chip plants in the U.S. at the time.

(source: Reuters)