The Trump Admin Will Get a Stake In Six Semiconductor Companies. The Total Will Rise To 30

The Trump administration is set to get a stake in six semiconductor companies, according to a new report.

Yahoo Finance detailed that the companies signed letters of intent to receive government assistance in exchange for a "minority, non-controlling equity stake."

The deals are set to be finalized over the course of the next months and take the number of companies under the government's portfolio to 30.

The outlet noted that investments would provide up to $874 million from the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, signed by former President Joe Biden, to help the companies build new AI-related infrastructure.

"These strategic investments will enhance our country's domestic capabilities, create high-paying jobs and keep America at the forefront of the semiconductor industry," said Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in a statement.

Despite the push, a new survey has shown that almost half of Americans believe that it's a bad idea for the U.S. government to take partial ownership of U.S.-based companies.

"Washington's latest and boldest experiment in industrial policy is a renewed willingness to take equity stakes," the council stated. It noted that the government used to focus primarily on grants, loans, and tax incentives in dealing with private companies, but has now shifted into "direct ownership."

The poll found that 49 percent of Americans disapprove of the activity. About 32 percent of respondents were undecided on the issue, and only about 19 percent supported the practice.

The deal to acquire a 10% stake in Intel was among the largest and that the U.S. government initially planned to provide $8.9 billion in grants under the Biden administration. When Trump came to office, the government altered the deal to 10 percent of equity in Intel.

The All America poll was conducted from July 8-12 and surveyed 1,000 registered voters. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Overall, the poll found that most Americans were pessimistic, with 61 percent worried about where the economy is headed. Only 25 percent were optimistic about the country's economic future.

The poll found that many Americans were adjusting how they live their lives because of rising prices. About 47% of respondents said that they had cut back on essential items such as food and medical care. That figure was up 6 points since the previous survey in April.