Many U.S. voters are skeptical about the government gobbling up ownership stakes in American companies, according to a CNBC survey released Monday.
The new poll found that just 19% of American voters believe it is appropriate for the federal government to own a share of private companies in the U.S., compared to 49% who think it is not appropriate. Meanwhile, 32% of voters were undecided, according to the survey.
CNBCâs All-America Economic Survey from October 2025 showed that 56% of voters thought it was inappropriate for the U.S. government to take a share of a private company, while 13% of respondents thought it was appropriate and 31% said they did not have an opinion.
The pollâs release comes after the Trump administration has announced new investments totaling $26.7 billion across thirty separate deals related to direct ownership stakes since January 2025, according to estimates by the Council on Foreign Relations.
The White House did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundationâs request seeking comment.
In August 2025, the administration announced that the U.S. had reached a âhistoricâ agreement to gobble up a 10% equity stake in the California-based chipmaker Intel.
âIntel is excited to welcome the United States of America as a shareholder, helping to create the most advanced chips in the world,â Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an Aug. 22, 2025 statement. âAs more companies look to invest in America, this administration remains committed to reinforcing our countryâs dominance in artificial intelligence while strengthening our national security.â
CNBCâs latest poll was conducted from July 8-12 among a nationwide sample of 1,000 registered U.S. voters. The pollâs margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The poll was conducted in collaboration with Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporterâs byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].