U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is reportedly looking into the U.S. federal government taking equity stakes in computer chip manufacturers that receive CHIPS Act funding to build factories in the country.

Reuters issued the report on Tuesday, quoting a White House official and a person familiar with the situation.

The sources reportedly said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also involved in the discussions, but that Lutnick is driving the process and U.S. President Donald Trump likes the idea.

The report said Lutnick is exploring how the U.S. can receive equity stakes in return for CHIPS Act funding, expanding on a plan to receive a ten percent stake in Intel in exchange for cash grants.

At the end of last year during the final months of the Biden administration, the U.S. Commerce Department finalized subsidies of four-point-75 billion dollars for Samsung Electronics, six-point-six billion dollars for the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company(TSMC) and two-point-six billion dollars for Micron to produce semiconductors in the U.S.

Reuters said TSMC declined comment and Micron, Samsung and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.