49% of U.S. Voters Oppose Government Equity Stakes as Trump Pursues $27 Billion in Deals
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jul 20
49% of U.S. Voters Oppose Government Equity Stakes as Trump Pursues $27 Billion in Deals
1 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jul 20
Summary
49% of registered voters said it is inappropriate for the federal government to own stakes in U.S. companies, versus 19% who support it, according to CNBC's July 8-12 survey of 1,000 voters.
32% were undecided, showing room for opinion to shift as the Trump administration advances a strategy that has already produced 30 deals worth nearly $27 billion and has included talks about a potential OpenAI stake.
Intel illustrates the administration's case for equity: the U.S. took a 10% stake tied to $8.9 billion in grants, and that holding had risen 372% to about $42 billion by Thursday's close.
Republican lawmakers still voiced caution, with Senators John Hoeven and Jon Husted warning such ownership should be limited; Husted backs an eight-year cap for national-security investments.
Partisan splits remain sharp—66% of Democrats opposed government stakes versus 34% of Republicans—though skepticism has eased since October 2025, when 56% said such ownership was inappropriate.