The Trump administration is in talks with Intel Corp. about the U.S. government taking an equity stake in the chipmaker, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. A direct federal ownership position in a major technology company would be highly unusual outside a crisis and underscores Washington’s effort to secure domestic semiconductor supply chains. The discussions follow a meeting earlier this week between President Donald Trump and Intel Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan. While the president recently criticized Tan over ties to Chinese technology firms, he later praised the executive and invited further proposals to bolster U.S. chip capacity. The size, structure and financing of any stake are still being negotiated and would likely require congressional approval, the sources said. Officials view the prospective investment as a way to support Intel’s long-delayed plan to build a roughly $100 billion manufacturing hub in Ohio, a project the company has postponed amid cost pressures and stiff competition from Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Bringing the plant online is seen as critical to reducing reliance on Asian foundries and advancing national security goals. Investors welcomed the prospect of government backing: Intel shares jumped 7.4 percent to about $24.20 in New York trading on Thursday and gained a further 2–3 percent after the close. Intel declined to comment on the report, and a White House spokesman said any potential deal remains speculative until formally announced.