OpenAI proposed giving the US government a 5% stake amid pressure from the Trump administration

OpenAI offered the US government a 5% stake in the company — according to Financial Times, published on July 4, 2026, the idea was proposed by CEO Sam Altman during informal negotiations with the Trump administration. The move is aimed at reducing political tensions around the world's largest AI laboratory and is intended to respond to mounting criticism: who gets the fruits of the AI revolution.

How much is the proposed stake worth?

The 5% stake was proposed by Altman himself. At OpenAI's valuation of $852 billion — the result of the last closed round of financing — such a stake would be worth approximately $42.6 billion.

• Stake size: 5% of OpenAI shares
• Estimated cost: ~$42.6 billion
• Company valuation in the latest round: $852 billion
• When the idea was first discussed with Trump: early 2025
• Source: two unnamed people familiar with the negotiations (FT)

According to FT, Altman raised the issue with Trump as early as early 2025. Negotiations took place for more than a year and a half — long before the information reached the press. Neither OpenAI nor the White House has publicly confirmed the fact of the discussion.

Why is OpenAI taking such a step?

The offer solves two problems at once.

First — political. The Trump administration is consistently increasing pressure on the largest technology corporations: antitrust investigations, transparency requirements, informal levers of influence. OpenAI is particularly vulnerable at this moment — the company is in the middle of a difficult transition from a non-profit structure to a commercial corporation. Any regulatory blow at this stage would be costly. A government stake turns the government from a potential opponent into an interested shareholder: the White House will become more interested in helping OpenAI grow than in limiting it.

Second — reputational. Criticism of the AI industry is mounting: companies make billions off data created by ordinary users, while those users get nothing. Altman, according to FT, believes a government stake is the best practical way to "share the fruits of AI with society" — society gets an indirect financial interest through government as an intermediary, without directly distributing shares.

"Giving people a financial interest in the company is the best way to share the fruits of AI," — such is

Altman's position according to FT.

What does this mean

If the deal goes through, it will create an unprecedented precedent for the American technology market: a private AI laboratory with direct government participation without formal nationalization — something unprecedented in the industry outside of defense programs. The government will get a financial incentive to support OpenAI's growth rather than curb it through regulation. The open question is whether government participation will change the company's corporate governance and independence in the long term.

So far everything is based on unofficial FT sources. But the scale of the sums discussed — around $42 billion — suggests that the stakes in this conversation are much higher than the usual lobbying efforts of technology corporations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are the 5% of OpenAI shares worth?

At a company valuation of $852 billion, a five percent stake would be worth approximately $42.6 billion — potentially one of the largest government stakes in a private technology company in US history.

When did Altman first propose the idea to Trump?

According to Financial Times, Altman first raised the issue of government participation more than a year before these reports became public — in early 2025.