In the past week, the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, was in talks with the CEO of Intel, Lip-Bu Tan. We didn't hear much of what was going on, and while there were some speculations and claims as to what was going on around the negotiation table, we didn't hear of anything concrete. Well, now we have confirmation as to what was going on, as both the POTUS and Intel have broken the silence to say that the US government has acquired 10% of Intel's shares, seemingly for free.

Intel and Donald Trump confirm a 10% share acquisition by the US government

First up, let's take a peek at Intel's press release. The company breaks down what the US government agreed to give Intel in exchange for 10% of the company. First, there is $5.7 billion in grants, which the US government awarded to Intel with the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, but hasn't paid out yet. Next is another $2.2 billion in CHIPS grants that have already paid out, and then there's another $3.2 billion from the Secure Enclave program. That's an $11.1 billion investment for 10% of Intel's shares.

Lip-Bu Tan seems pleased with the deal:

“President Trump’s focus on U.S. chip manufacturing is driving historic investments in a vital industry that is integral to the country’s economic and national security. We are grateful for the confidence the President and the Administration have placed in Intel, and we look forward to working to advance U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership."

Intel goes on to state that the investment is passive, meaning that nobody from the government will have a position on the board.

Next, we have Donald Trump's announcement on his Truth Social. In his latest post on the platform, he states that "the United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of Intel," through a deal which Trump claims he negotiated himself. He goes on to claim that the US "paid nothing for these Shares," confirms the deal was sealed at around the $11 billion mark, and calls it a "great deal" for both the US and Intel.

Obviously, we don't know what went down at the negotiating table, but there's a good chance that Intel is pretty pleased with the deal. The company has been having a rough time lately, including its CPUs experiencing nasty degradation issues and AMD steaming ahead with its own models. Here's hoping the money will help Intel get back on its feet and regain its former status as a powerhouse in the CPU scene.