On August 22, plans from the US Treasury regarding investments in Intel attracted attention to domestic production and national security issues.
Treasury Investments in Intel
On August 19, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that government investments would help stabilize Intel and increase production capacity in the US. Bessent noted that the government would not force other companies to buy chips from Intel, and that the main goal is to reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers.
Conversion of Grants to Equity
Bessent also hinted that the US grant of $10.9 billion received by Intel could be converted into equity in the company. White House spokesperson Kush Desai noted that discussions of hypothetical deals should be viewed as speculation until there is official communication from the administration.
Reviving Chip Manufacturing in the US
President Donald Trump has previously emphasized the necessity of bringing chip manufacturing back to the US. He insists that the government should receive some returns on investments in large tech companies. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and other officials have called for greater government involvement in the tech sector to ensure national security.
These investments are expected to strengthen the US position in technological manufacturing, especially in light of growing dependence on foreign supplies.
