Donald Trump proposes U.S. government stake in major AI firms

President Donald Trump announced aboard Air Force One that the administration plans to meet with the leading artificial‑intelligence companies to discuss the U.S. government taking ownership stakes in them. The proposed partnership would allow the American public to share in the success of firms such as Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI and other major AI labs, and could be formalised as soon as next week. Trump said the idea would “benefit the American people” and framed it as a partnership rather than a takeover.

The proposal has prompted sharp criticism from Republican senators and industry figures, who warn it veers toward socialism and could blur the line between government and corporate interests. Former Trump AI adviser David Sacks called the plan “nationalization of AI.” The announcement also surprised the companies themselves, which learned of the meeting only from the president’s public comments. No details on timing or location have been provided, and the firms have either declined to comment or said discussions are ongoing.