According to NOTUS, on June 5, citing three insiders, senior U.S. officials have held preliminary discussions with several major AI companies about the federal government acquiring partial ownership stakes. The discussion focus is on companies voluntarily surrendering equity, with investment returns used for public purposes. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce a mandatory bill in June, imposing a one-time 50% stock tax on top AI companies and requiring companies to surrender board seats.
Details of the White House Equity Stake Discussions
Items confirmed by insiders cited in the NOTUS report:
· The U.S. government has made direct investments in at least 10 companies, including a deal with Intel;
· Intel’s stock price has risen by at least 4 times since the government took the stake;
· Trump has publicly said he “hopes there will be more cases like this in the future,” and privately said “U.S. taxpayers should benefit from AI” (an insider said).
In OpenAI’s policy white paper for April 2026, it has already clearly recommended setting up a public wealth fund, proposing that large-model companies inject capital or provide equity. Anthropic confirmed that it did not participate in any talks about surrendering equity; both OpenAI and Anthropic are preparing for an IPO, and a White House equity stake would increase valuation uncertainty. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.
Sanders Bill: Specific Provisions
Key content of the bill Sanders plans to introduce in June 2026:
Stock Tax: Levy a one-time 50% stock tax on OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and other AI companies
Equity Surrender: Require companies to surrender half their equity and board seats
Use of Funds: Deposit tax revenue into a sovereign wealth fund for public use
Purpose: Enable democratic oversight of business decision-making
Criticism: Constitutional concerns and conflicts of interest
Public Knowledge AI policy advocate Nat Purser said: “The government is both a shareholder and a regulator, which creates serious conflicts of interest, and the public should not expect the government to reduce its willingness to set or enforce safety rules out of fear of lowering its own investment value.”
Cato Institute senior technology policy researcher Jennifer Huddleston said: “When the government picks preferred companies and makes investments like this, it raises questions about how it could erode private-sector companies and the principles of a free market.” Critics also warned that mandatory equity takings may be unconstitutional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage are the White House and AI companies’ equity stake discussions at?
Based on the NOTUS report, three insiders said the discussions are still being worked out, with the details not yet finalized. The focus is on voluntary surrender. One insider also reminded that negotiation progress is unclear and that an agreement may ultimately not be reached. The legal mechanism for equity surrender is also currently unclear.
How do Anthropic and OpenAI differ in their positions on this issue?
An insider clearly stated that Anthropic has not had any talks with the government about surrendering equity. OpenAI is different; two insiders said Sam Altman has discussed this proposal multiple times with government officials since the start of Trump’s second term, and OpenAI’s policy white paper in April 2026 also proactively recommended setting up a public wealth fund.
Has Sanders’ mandatory equity taking bill been formally introduced?
According to the report, Sanders plans to introduce a bill in June 2026 requiring a 50% stock tax on AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic and requiring the surrender of board seats. As of the time the NOTUS report was published, the bill had not been formally introduced.
