Trump Explores Government Equity Stakes in Major AI Companies

President Donald Trump announced plans to explore federal equity stakes in leading artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI. The proposal aims to create a partnership where the American public shares in the financial success of AI through a public wealth fund or direct dividend payments. Trump intends to meet with AI executives at the White House to discuss the initiative, though some industry sources report that companies were blindsided by the announcement and no official meeting has been scheduled.

The concept was reportedly pitched to Trump in 2025 by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who suggested donating equity to seed a public fund. This approach aligns with a more aggressive legislative proposal from Senator Bernie Sanders, who introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act to impose a one-time 50% equity tax on large AI firms. While Trump noted that his and Sanders' economic views on the matter are not far apart, the administration's model likely involves voluntary share contributions, similar to the government's existing 10% stake in Intel.

Critics, including Senators Rand Paul and Thom Tillis and former AI czar David Sacks, have condemned the move as a step toward socialism and a dangerous fusion of corporate and government interests. Simultaneously, the administration is tightening security oversight. Trump recently signed executive orders requiring AI developers to voluntarily submit advanced models for government cybersecurity testing 30 days before release and directing the Department of Defense to accelerate AI adoption for national security.