On Friday, Trump said he has discussed deals with several AI companies with the goal of allowing the American public to share in the industry’s growth. Although he did not name specific companies, multiple media outlets reported that OpenAI is one of the key companies under discussion.
The White House is reportedly in contact with OpenAI.
CNBC reported that the Trump administration has discussed with OpenAI the possibility of the government holding an equity stake. Bloomberg subsequently cited Trump’s remarks on Air Force One, stating that he is engaging with AI industry executives on various proposals to make the American public, in some sense, a partner in these companies.
Partial equity may be allocated to public funds
The report mentioned that a portion of the related equity may be used as initial assets for OpenAI’s recently proposed Public Wealth Fund. According to OpenAI’s vision, the fund’s returns could be distributed directly to citizens, enabling more people to share in the growth of the AI industry, regardless of their existing wealth or access to capital.
Bloomberg also reported that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has been discussing the idea of government ownership stakes in major AI companies since early 2025, indicating that these discussions are not temporary statements but have been actively ongoing for some time.
Both parties are discussing public distribution.
Similar proposals have recently emerged within the Democratic Party. This week, Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a one-time 50% tax on companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, not in cash, but in the form of equity.
David Sacks, an investor who recently served as the head of AI and crypto affairs in the Trump administration, said he understands why this idea resonates and even has support among some right-wing groups, but he warned that it could further entangle corporate and government interests.