U.S. Says No to Nvidia Stake, Looks to Other Industries for Investment

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made it clear that the U.S. government has no plans to invest in Nvidia, the leading chipmaker, because the company is doing just fine on its own.

Bessent said, “Nvidia doesn’t need our financial help, so that’s not something we’re considering right now.” This comes as the Trump administration has been snapping up stakes in key American companies to boost national interests.

While Nvidia’s off the table, Scott Bessent hinted that other industries could see government investment, especially those tied to national security and economic strength.“Could there be other industries where we’re reshaping, something like shipbuilding? Sure, there could be things like that,” he said, pointing to sectors like shipbuilding and defense as priorities. He also raised concerns about whether defense companies are focusing enough on military needs instead of just shareholder profits.

• U.S. Rules Out Nvidia Stake, Eyes Shipbuilding and Defense Investments
• Treasury Secretary Says Nvidia Doesn’t Need Government Backing
• Trump Administration Shifts Focus from Tech to Strategic Industries

Recently, the administration took a nearly 10% stake in Intel and secured a “golden share” in U.S. Steel during its sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel, giving the government a say in how the company operates. These steps show a push to strengthen industries critical to the U.S., especially to reduce dependence on foreign manufacturing, like chips made overseas.

The decision to pass on Nvidia follows chatter about whether the government would dive deeper into the tech sector. Nvidia, a powerhouse in AI and graphics chips, is financially solid, unlike Intel, which has hit some rough patches. Bessent also noted recent deals with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, where the U.S. secured 15% of their China chip sales revenue in exchange for export licenses.

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Some critics worry that government involvement in private companies could slow them down and raise costs for consumers. But Bessent argued that these investments could benefit taxpayers by shoring up key industries. The focus on areas like shipbuilding suggests the administration is serious about rebuilding U.S. manufacturing and cutting reliance on foreign supply chains.