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EXCLUSIVE – New Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Joe Gruters outlined his mission as he took over steering the GOP’s national party committee.

‘The midterms are ahead, where we must expand our major majority in the House, in the Senate, and continue electing Republicans nationwide,’ Gruters said as he addressed committee members moments after being unanimously elected chair at the RNC’s summer meeting, held this year in Atlanta, Georgia.

Gruters, a state senator and RNC committee member from Florida, who, until his election as chair on Friday, briefly served as the national party committee’s treasurer, is a longtime ally of President Donald Trump. His move to the RNC chairmanship cements Trump’s dominance over the GOP as it prepares for midterm battles next year.

And a month ago, Trump endorsed Gruters to succeed now-former RNC chair Michael Whatley, who stepped down as he runs for the Senate in battleground North Carolina in the blockbuster race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.

The ascension of Gruters to RNC chair is the latest sign of Trump’s complete control over the national party committee.

‘This is the president’s party. This is the president’s vision, overall. The party fully embraces the president,’ Gruters said as he and Whatley stood for an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

Whatley, who Trump picked to steer the RNC a year and a half ago, noted that ‘we have transformed the RNC, basically the way that President Trump has transformed the Republican Party.’

Gruters has been a major Trump supporter dating back to the president’s first campaign for the White House. Gruters served as Florida co-chair Trump’s 2016 campaign.

The Democratic National Committee, taking aim at Gruters following his election as chair, claimed that ‘Gruters and Trump will have a lot to bond over while they turn the Republican Party into even more of a personal propaganda machine for Trump.’

Republicans swept back to power last November, with Trump winning the White House, the GOP retaking control of the Senate and holding onto their fragile majority in the House.

But looking ahead to next year’s midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses House and Senate seats, the GOP will be defending their congressional majorities.

A key part of the RNC’s strategy going forward is Trump.

‘We’re gonna ride the president all the way to victory in the midterms, and we are going to win big,’ Gruters emphasized.

Asked about the top three items on his to-do list as he takes over as RNC chair, Gruters said, ‘number one, it’s still election integrity. That’s the most important thing, protecting the vote. And it’s about winning the midterms.’

‘It’s about going back to the fundamentals of registering voters and turning our voters out,’ the new chair added.

Gruters also highlighted Trump’s sweeping GOP-crafted domestic policy bill, which the Republican majorities in Congress passed this summer along near-party lines.

‘It’s our agenda,’ Whatley said in a Fox News Digital interview last month, as he pointed to the massive tax cuts and spending bill that Trump signed into law on July 4.

The measure is stuffed full of Trump’s 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. 

It includes extending the president’s signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. 

By making his first-term tax rates permanent – they were set to expire later this year – the bill will cut taxes by nearly $4.4 trillion over the next decade, according to analysis by the Congressional Budget Office and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. 

The measure also provides billions for border security and codifies the president’s controversial immigration crackdown.

And the new law also restructures Medicaid – the almost 60-year-old federal program that provides health coverage to roughly 71 million low-income Americans. 

The changes to Medicaid, as well as cuts to food stamps, another one of the nation’s major safety net programs, were drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump’s tax cuts. The measure includes a slew of new rules and regulations, including work requirements for many of those seeking Medicaid coverage.

Democrats, for months, have repeatedly blasted Republicans over the social safety net changes. And they’ve spotlighted a slew of national polls conducted both  before and after the measure was passed into law, that indicate the bill’s popularity in negative territory.

But Gruters sees the new law as campaign ammunition.

‘Every single Democrat in Congress voted for a tax increase on average everyday Americans,’ Gruters argued. ‘And that big, beautiful bill has something for every single American, whether you’re working class, whether you’re a small business owner, everybody benefits, and we’re going to be able to ride that bill all the way to victory.’

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Russia’s top nuclear official this week said Moscow is facing ‘colossal threats’ and needs to update its nuclear capabilities.

Without directly naming where Russia’s chief nuclear threat is coming from, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev said, ‘the current geopolitical situation, is a time of colossal threats to the existence of our country.’

‘Therefore, the nuclear shield, which is also a sword, is a guarantee of our sovereignty,’ he added, according to Russian state news agency RIA. ‘We understand today that the nuclear shield must only be improved in the coming years.’

The comments came less than a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump convened for a face-to-face meeting that marked the first time a U.S. leader has met with the Kremlin chief since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. 

While Trump and Putin appeared positive following the talks, little seemed to have been concretely accomplished in the meeting and hope surrounding a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire appeared to decline as the week progressed. 

It is unclear why Likhachev issued comments regarding Russia’s nuclear program at this time, and he did not detail what sort of updates he would be looking to make to Moscow’s ‘shield’ program. 

Trump issued similar comments earlier this year when in May he announced his plans to develop the ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system — inspired by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’ defense system — and which is expected to cost at least $175 billion.

Though security experts have been sounding the alarm when it comes to China’s escalating nuclear development, together Russia and the U.S. continue to possess 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal.

Moscow continues to hold nearly 4,400 nuclear warheads, over 1,500 of which are ‘strategically deployed’ while the U.S. possesses more than 3,700 warheads in its stockpiles with 1,400 deployed, according to the Arms Control Association. 

While nuclear disarmament was the standing international goal following the end of the Cold War, the trajectory of this policy remains dubious as relations between Washington and Moscow have once again turned precarious amid Putin’s war in Ukraine, and his burgeoning relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

The New Start Treaty remains the only bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, and though it was extended in 2021, it is set to expire in February 2026. The future of the treaty – first signed in 2010 – also remains unclear as Moscow paused its participation in the agreement in 2023.

Putin said that this suspension meant he would continue to abide by stockpile limits under the treaty, but he would not allow for continued U.S. inspections. 

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for comment as nations increasingly look to expand their nuclear capabilities just six months ahead of when the New Start Treaty is set to expire. 

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President Donald Trump has the golden touch — and nowhere is that more evident than in the Oval Office, where gilded accents now adorn the nation’s most famous workspace, reflecting his signature style.

The gold additions throughout the Oval Office were on full display last week as global leaders met with Trump to discuss a path to ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the gold Trump added to the Oval Office ‘is of the highest quality,’ declining to provide further details. The spokesperson also said that Trump personally covered the cost of the gold accents, though did not specify how much gold was added or how much Trump spent.

In March, Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham during a tour of the Oval Office that the room ‘needed a little life’ when asked about the gold details. 

‘Throughout the years, people have tried to come up with a gold paint that would look like gold, and they’ve never been able to do it,’ Trump told Ingraham. ‘You’ve never been able to match gold with gold paint, that’s why it’s gold,’ Trump added.

Since then, Trump has added gold accents throughout the Oval Office to include the room’s 18-foot-6-inch ceiling. Below is a picture of the presidential seal that overlooks the Resolute Desk, shown in 2008 and after the addition of all the gold.

Behind the Resolute Desk, Trump added gold curtains and a display of flags, including those representing the U.S. military’s sister services.

Meanwhile, gold trim was added to details along the ceiling and doorways. Even the cherubs inside the door frames were given a golden makeover.

In March, Trump said he had installed a copy of the Declaration of Independence in the Oval Office. He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that the document must be kept behind heavy curtains to protect it from light damage. 

The signed Declaration of Independence is on permanent display at the National Archives on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., where it has been housed since 1952.

The framed document is seen on the wall behind Trump in the photograph below:

Presidents traditionally choose the portraits displayed in the Oval Office, with special attention given to the one above the fireplace.

Former President Joe Biden chose a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt above the fireplace, accompanied by additional portraits of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

Above the fireplace, Trump chose to display a portrait of George Washington in military uniform, accompanied by several other prominent portraits.

Gold accents were applied to the white marble fireplace mantel, enhancing its neoclassical details.

Here’s a closer view of the details added to the fireplace:

Trump also placed gold trinkets on the fireplace mantel, though their arrangement has changed frequently.

In the Oval Office, Trump added gold coasters bearing his last name and the number 47, marking his position as the 47th president.

The gold details added to the Oval Office come as Trump undertakes broader renovations across the White House grounds.

Last month, the White House announced that Trump, together with private donors, will fund an estimated $200 million project to build a new ballroom. Intended to host official events, state dinners, and large ceremonial gatherings, the 90,000-square-foot addition will accommodate about 650 seated guests and maintain the White House’s classical design.

The announcement followed a similar move earlier this year, when Trump personally financed the installation of two 88-foot American flags flanking the White House, each reportedly costing around $50,000. 

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When President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he faced the same formidable adversary that defined much of his first term: China. This time the stakes were even higher. The trade deficit with China had ballooned to roughly $300 billion, while IP protection, currency manipulation and predatory industrial and international development practices remained significant issues. And Beijing doubled down — weaponizing its control of rare earth minerals, tightening its grip on semiconductors and wielding economic coercion against U.S. allies from Australia to Lithuania. 

Against this backdrop, Trump 47 adopted a two-pronged approach. On offense, the administration has kept maximum pressure on Beijing, staying firm on negotiation positions and refusing to trade away leverage until real concessions emerge. On defense, it has wielded tariffs not only as bargaining chips but as engines of industrial revival — reshoring supply chains, rebuilding America’s manufacturing base and hardening strategic alliances to reduce dependence on China. 

These were not easy calls. Tariffs rattled markets. Pressure campaigns risked alienating partners. Yet the strategy has been to hold the line, play a long game and push forward until the U.S. secured fairer, reciprocal trade terms. In a world where semiconductors and rare earths are the new oil, this is about nothing less than U.S. national security. 

I have seen firsthand how high-stakes these negotiations can be. As I recount in my forthcoming book, ‘A Seat at the Table,’ Chinese officials have long relied on psychological tactics, slow-walking responses through layers of bureaucracy, handing us last-minute drafts in Chinese —  even removing chairs at negotiating tables. These are not trivial gestures. They are meant to unnerve, unsettle and push the U.S. team toward compromise. 

The Trump response was simple but powerful: don’t flinch. In Beijing, when presented with a Chinese draft that ignored our work, Secretary Steven Mnuchin waved it away and insisted the talks proceed on the American document. When a chair was removed to show disrespect, we calmly got it back—without ever conceding authority. 

That posture of confidence — staying the course under pressure — continues today in Trump 47. Tariffs are sharper, more targeted and higher than before; allied trade deals (Japan, South Korea, the EU) allow us to focus resources on China; and deadlines are extended when useful, but only on U.S. terms. 

Critics say tariffs raise consumer prices. In the short term, they can. But the broader truth is that tariffs are tools to rewire incentives, drive investment back home, and ensure the United States does not remain vulnerable in sectors critical to survival. Already, the tariffs of Trump 47 are accelerating investment in domestic chip foundries, battery plants and energy infrastructure. They are also forcing hard conversations with allies about aligning supply chains — from rare earth processing in Australia to semiconductor alliances with Japan and the Netherlands. 

When Beijing weaponized exports of gallium and graphite, vital for defense and electronics, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act and doubled down on Indo-Pacific partnerships. The message is clear: America will not be held hostage to coercion. Strategic autonomy requires resilience, even if it comes with short-term discomfort. 

How do you stay steady when the stakes are so high, when the pressure is relentless? Stand aside Hans Morgenthau. For me, the source I found was the timeless wisdom of ‘Kedushas Levi,’ an 18th-century Chassidic work by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev.  

The ‘Kedushas Levi’ teaches that challenges — no matter how overwhelming — are never insurmountable. ‘If you encounter an obstacle that is bigger than you, do not be fearful or frightened. With simple faith, what you fear will not harm you,’ it states. That teaching, echoing the Talmudic reality that the good Lord gives trials in proportion to a person’s strength, gave me composure when sprinting to translate a Chinese draft in a Beijing motorcade, or when facing off with officials determined to stall and delay. 

It also teaches that truth, even when inconvenient, carries divine weight. When Chinese officials resisted opening their financial markets, I pointed out the obvious but often ignored truth: Chinese banks in the U.S. had seen double- and triple-digit growth, while U.S. banks in China struggled for even single digits. That argument broke through where posturing could not.  

Negotiations with China will not be wrapped up overnight. But this is a contest of wills as much as economics. And here, the lessons of faith matter most. Facing giants, the Jewish tradition teaches, you do not shrink back. You lift your head high, stand on truth, and trust that what feels impossible can indeed be achieved. 

That is how we approached China in Trump 45. That is how we are approaching China in Trump 47. And that is how America, with faith and fortitude, can win. 

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Russian officials said Ukrainian drones ignited an overnight fire at a nuclear plant in Russia’s Kursk region.

The strikes coincided with Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day, marking its 1991 break from the Soviet Union.

Russia said the strikes hit several power facilities. The plant fire was quickly extinguished. A transformer was damaged, but radiation levels remained normal, and no injuries were reported.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it was aware of media reports of a transformer fire ‘due to military activity,’ but had not independently confirmed them.

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said ‘every nuclear facility must be protected at all times.’

A fire also broke out at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region, home to a major fuel export terminal.

The regional governor said about 10 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the area and that debris sparked the blaze.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted 95 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory Sunday.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 72 drones and decoys and a cruise missile overnight; 48 drones were shot down or jammed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke in a video from Kyiv’s Independence Square.

‘We are building a Ukraine that will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace,’ he said, calling for a ‘just peace.’

‘What our future will be is up to us alone,’ he said, while acknowledging the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska earlier this month, which many worried would sideline Ukrainian interests.

‘And the world knows this. And the world respects this. It respects Ukraine. It perceives Ukraine as an equal,’ he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted the Senate’s ‘blue slip’ tradition, calling it an unconstitutional affront to his appointment power and alleging that his rights have ‘been completely taken away from me in States that have just one Democrat United States Senator.’

The president is referring to his ability to nominate judges and U.S. Attorneys, accusing the custom of essentially giving Democrats veto power over his nominees.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is defending the century-old process, saying he views it as a norm worth preserving for balance and state input.

Blue slips are a long-standing tradition but are not a codified law, and constitutionally he is only allowed the power to nominate while the Senate ultimately approves or rejects that nomination.

Trump’s frustration with the Senate’s blue slip practice isn’t new. In July, Trump called the tradition a ‘hoax’ and a ‘scam’ used by Democrats to block his nominees and demanded that Grassley stop supporting them.

‘Put simply, the president of the United States will never be permitted to appoint the person of his choice because of an ancient, and probably unconstitutional, ‘CUSTOM,’’ his post said.

In his first term, Trump was able to appoint 234 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices and 54 appellate court judges. However, this term he has only confirmed five in the first seven months.

Trump went on in his post to suggest he was willing to apply pressure and that Grassley shouldn’t acquiesce. 

‘The only candidates that I can get confirmed for these most important positions are, believe it or not, Democrats! Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to ascend to these very vital and powerful roles, and tell the Democrats, as they often tell us, to go to HELL!’ he wrote.

Trump’s comments come after U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann recently ruled that Alina Habba had been unlawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey beyond the 120-day limit allowed for temporary prosecutors and that the administration had been using an unusual maneuver to keep her in the role.

Trump’s pressure campaign could shape how many judicial vacancies he can realistically fill in the months ahead.

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Mount Hope Mining Limited (ASX: “MHM” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its maiden drill program has commenced at its 100%-owned Mt Hope Project in New South Wales (Figure 1).

Highlights:

  • Inaugural drill program comprises ~4,800m of Reverse Circulation (“RC”) and Air Core (“AC”) drilling across four priority targets.
  • Drill campaign includes high-confidence infill and extensional drilling at Mt Solitary, which boasts an Exploration Target range of 1.32 to 1.87Mt of 1.0 to 1.35 g/t Au for 42.5 to 81.4 Koz (Table 1).
  • The new Blue Heeler prospect, hosting coincident MLTEM conductors, is located approximately 200m west of historical drill hole GCS-1, which included a historical intercept of 31m @ 0.42% Zn, 0.26% Pb, 117 ppm Cu and 4.8 ppm Ag from 56m
  • The Mt Hope East and Black Hill prospects, hosting coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies, have never been tested by drilling.
The inaugural drilling campaign will test four priority targets for a total of ~4,800m of Reverse Circulation (RC) and Air Core (AC) drilling, including the recently added Blue Heeler target (see ASX announcement, 15 July 2025 &22 August 2025).
Mount Hope Mining Managing Director & CEO Fergus Kiley commented:

“Mount Hope Mining is excited to commence its maiden drill program at the Mt Hope Project – a significant milestone in our journey towards unlocking the potential of the southern Cobar Basin.

“Each priority prospect represents a high conviction drill target, backed by high-quality geological science, and we look forward to exploring these areas further.

“We believe these four priority areas represent a good opportunity to create shareholder value via true greenfield exploration success or by delineating valuable ounces for future development.

“We look forward to keeping shareholders updated with strong news flow throughout the remainder of Q3 and into Q4 with the results from the exploration drilling, along with the metallurgical test work for Mt Solitary, and with our other early-stage exploration programs.”

Mt Solitary Exploration Target

Table 1: Mt Solitary Exploration Target2

The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target are conceptual in nature. As such, there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource, and it is uncertain whether further exploration will result in a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared by the JORC Code 2012.

Maiden drilling campaign at the Mount Hope Project

The inaugural Mt Hope maiden drill program has commenced drilling, starting at the Mt Solitary prospect to convert the existing Gold Exploration Target (Table 1) to a JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE).

The initial phase 1 RC program at Mt Solitary will consist of ~1,500m (Figure 2). The drill rig will then mobilise to test the greenfield polymetallic drill targets at Blue Heeler and Black Hill before finishing the program at Mt Hope East.

The Company has engaged ALS Laboratories in Orange, NSW, for analytical work. Samples from the maiden drilling campaign will be sent to Orange throughout the program, with sample preparation analysis to be completed at the same facility.

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Highlights:

  • All conditions in relation to the $20 million placement to Clean Elements Fund have been satisfied.
  • Due diligence undertaken by Clean Elements Fund validates the standing of Hombre Muerto West ( HMW ) as a world class lithium project, offering exceptional scale and grade.
  • Galan is now fully funded to complete the construction of Phase 1 at HMW (at 4ktpa LCE) with first production of lithium chloride concentrate planned during H1 2026.

Galan Lithium Limited (ASX: GLN,OTC:GLNLF) ( Galan or the Company ) is pleased to announce that all conditions relating to the $20 million share placement ( Placement ) to the Clean Elements Fund ( Clean Elements ) have now been completed.

The Placement, which was undertaken at a significant premium to the prevailing share price when originally announced, was subject to certain conditions including shareholder approvals (received at a General Meeting held on Friday, 22 August 2025 ) as well as the satisfactory completion by Clean Elements of technical and legal due diligence in respect of the Company and HMW in Argentina.

Clean Elements has advised that all conditions to the Placement have been satisfied. As such, the Placement will now proceed to settlement, providing Galan with the funding required for the finalisation of the HMW Phase 1 construction over the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, with first production of lithium chloride concentrate scheduled for H1 2026.

Settlement will take place in two equal tranches of $10 million .  Tranche 1 settlement will occur within the next 5 business days and Tranche 2 of the Placement will settle no later than 22 November 2025 , in line with the timing set out in the relevant shareholder approval.

Managing Director, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega , commented: ‘With the support of Clean Elements, Galan now has the funding certainty to complete Phase 1 construction at HMW and is firmly on track to deliver first lithium chloride concentrate production in H1 2026.

The due diligence undertaken by Clean Elements Fund has confirmed, what we at Galan already know – HMW is an exceptional lithium project, combining substantial scale and grade with execution capability that places it among the best globally.

The team at Galan remains focussed on advancing project delivery at HMW and we look forward to creating significant long-term value for shareholders as we progress towards production.’

Clean Element’s Chairman, Ofer Amir , commented: We are thrilled to confirm a binding and unconditional commitment to complete both tranches of the placement—an outcome that underscores strong confidence in Galan’s strategic direction.

Our specialist lithium brine adviser highlighted that HMW is the premier lithium brine resource globally. HMW’s brine is the highest grade in Argentina with the lowest impurity profile. It also contains significantly less magnesium and calcium than the levels found in the Salar de Atacama in Chile which, when combined with HMW’s high lithium grades, gives rise to the highest lithium recoveries in the lithium brine sector to date.

This exceptional resource quality enables a low-cost, evaporation process—positioning Galan to become a high-margin, globally competitive lithium producer. In our view, Galan will not just be participating in the lithium market; it will be setting a new benchmark.’

The Galan Board has authorised this release.

For further information contact:

COMPANY

MEDIA

Juan Pablo (‘JP’) Vargas de la Vega

Matt Worner

Managing Director

Vector Advisors

jp@galanlithium.com.au

mworner@vectoradvisors.au

+ 61 8 9214 2150

+61 429 522 924

View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/galan-lithium-limited-successful-due-diligence-completed—20m-placement-to-proceed-302537458.html

SOURCE Galan Lithium Limited

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

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The Trump administration said Friday that it had taken a 10% stake in Intel, the president’s latest extraordinary move to exert federal government control over private business.

The United States will not seek direct representation on Intel’s board and pledged to vote with the current Board of Directors on matters requiring shareholder approval, ‘with limited exceptions,’ according to a joint release from the Trump administration and Intel. The move also comes as the United States vies with China in the race to dominate the artificial intelligence industry.

President Donald Trump announced the deal on his Truth Social platform Friday, praising the company’s CEO just two weeks after he called on the executive to resign over alleged China ties.

‘It is my Great Honor to report that the United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL, a Great American Company that has an even more incredible future,’ he wrote. ‘I negotiated this Deal with Lip-Bu Tan, the Highly Respected Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The United States paid nothing for these Shares, and the Shares are now valued at approximately $11 Billion Dollars. This is a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL. Building leading edge Semiconductors and Chips, which is what INTEL does, is fundamental to the future of our Nation.’

While the U.S. held temporary stakes in firms at the center of the 2008-2009 global financial meltdown as part of a bailout, this move is unusual since the economy is not embroiled in a crisis. Congress published a study in 2003 that examined the impact of the federal government taking direct stakes in public companies, concluding that doing so would “not offer a free lunch” and expose taxpayers to “greater risk” alongside the upside potential.

The stake will be paid for through $5.7 billion in grants previously awarded to Intel under the 2022 U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, plus $3.2 billion awarded to the company as part of a program called Secure Enclave. It’s a formerly classified initiative that Congress appropriated funds for in 2024 after lobbying by Intel, Politico reported in 2024.

Including $2.2 billion in CHIPs grants Intel has received so far, the total investment is $11.1 billion, or 9.9%. Intel is valued at about $108 billion on the stock market.

Trump continues to bulldoze through long-held norms regarding government and business, departing from the free-market ethos that has long prevailed in both major U.S. political parties.

This month, Trump persuaded the chipmakers Nvidia and AMD to pay the U.S. government 15% of their revenues from some sales to China in return for securing export licenses there.

While those firms have seen their fortunes rise amid the larger artificial intelligence boom, a windfall from any of them is no sure thing. In the case of California-based Intel, the company has struggled to keep up with rivals in recent years, with its shares down some 60% from the highs seen during the pandemic.

But amid the ongoing artificial intelligence arms race — and the goal of making computer chips a national security priority — Trump officials zeroed in on Intel as a means of leveling up U.S. control over semiconductor production.

Earlier this week, Japan’s SoftBank also announced it would invest $2 billion in Intel to “deepen their commitment to investing in advanced technology and semiconductor innovation in the United States.’

Some Democrats signaled they were on board with the move.

‘U.S. leadership is critical for both our economy and national security,’ U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said in a statement Friday evening.

‘Taking an equity stake in Intel may or may not be the right approach, but one thing is clear: allowing cutting-edge chips to flow to China without restraint will erode the value of any investment we make here at home. We need a strategy that protects American innovation, strengthens our workforce, and keeps the technologies of the future firmly in American hands.’

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS