Globalfoundries IncGovernment to invest $300M for equity stake, part of CHIPS Act funding.
The Trump administration has accumulated equity stakes in 30 companies across sectors including quantum computing, steel, and rare earth minerals, with semiconductors as the primary focus. The portfolio includes a 10% stake in Intel announced about 11 months ago, and this week the administration expanded it with letters of intent for stakes in seven additional semiconductor companies that could see $874 million disbursed in return for equity. The biggest name among the new deals is Global Foundries, which is in line for a $300 million stake, marking its second government equity stake after an earlier one in quantum computing. The approach, funded by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, marks a shift from the Biden administration's grants and loans to a venture-capital-style strategy that seeks both strategic benefits and financial upside. Critics, including the Cato Institute, question whether the government is picking favorites and what happens if companies falter, while the administration points to Intel's stock more than tripling since the stake was taken as evidence of potential taxpayer gains.
Globalfoundries IncGovernment to invest $300M for equity stake, part of CHIPS Act funding.
Intel CorporationGovernment holds 10% stake; stock tripled since, highlighting potential gains.