Stop Federal Government Ownership Stakes in Private Companies

Block any further federal government equity stakes in private companies. The Trump administration has already negotiated 30 deals worth nearly $27 billion, including a 10% ownership stake in Intel and reported talks about taking a stake in OpenAI when it goes public. This is not how a free market economy is supposed to work. A CNBC poll conducted July 8-12, 2026 found that 49% of voters say government ownership stakes are inappropriate, versus only 19% who support them. Even among Republicans, a third oppose it. The Intel deal alone raises serious questions — the administration converted an $8.9 billion CHIPS Act grant into equity, and that stake is now valued at $42 billion. That kind of government entanglement in private industry sets a dangerous precedent. When the Pentagon is also funneling a $620 million loan to a defense startup with reported ties to the president's family, the conflict-of-interest concerns become impossible to ignore. Sen. Jon Husted is sponsoring legislation to cap government equity stakes at eight years, which is a start — but the real answer is not to take these stakes at all. Vote to prohibit new federal equity positions in private companies and support full divestment from existing ones.

First sent on July 21 by Progressive Action