Trump administration uses taxpayer funds to acquire stakes in metals, chip and nuclear firms

Over the past year, the Trump administration has directed taxpayer money into equity and governance stakes across at least 10 companies in sectors such as minerals, semiconductors, energy, and defense. These deals include non‑voting shares in Intel, preferred stock and warrants in MP Materials, equity in Lithium Americas, Trilogy Metals and USA Rare Earth, and structured arrangements tied to L3Harris and Westinghouse. In several cases, government holdings come with veto or future ownership rights, positioning federal agencies as shareholders in businesses they also regulate.