Trump administration discussing equity stake in OpenAI, potentially linked to company's proposed Public Wealth Fund

President Donald Trump said on Friday he has spoken to AI companies about deals where the American people can benefit from AI success; CNBC reported the Trump administration is discussing an equity stake with OpenAI.

OpenAI has proposed a Public Wealth Fund where proceeds could be distributed directly to citizens to participate in AI-driven growth; CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea of a government stake in major AI companies since early 2025.

Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a one-time, 50% tax that companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI would pay in the form of stock, arguing it would give the public a direct role in determining the future of the technology.