Trump administration in active talks to take an equity stake in OpenAI
CNBC confirmed the Trump administration is in active discussions to acquire equity in OpenAI — a structure Altman has been pitching since early 2025, one OpenAI itself endorsed through its 'Public Wealth Fund' proposal — while Sanders separately proposed a 50% stock tax on OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI payable in shares. With all three companies potentially going public this year, government co-ownership is now live on both sides of the aisle, adding a new layer of uncertainty to OpenAI's conversion from capped-profit to fully for-profit.
Source: techcrunch.com ↗
pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies
President Donald Trump
Why this matters
- → Government equity stake could reshape AI company ownership and control structures.
- → Bipartisan interest signals AI nationalization entering mainstream policy debate.
- → OpenAI's for-profit conversion now entangled with state ownership negotiations.
Government stakes in AI