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Paul questions Trump administration's move toward more government stakes in private companies

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks as Dr. Anthony Fauci appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at the Capitol, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Allison Robbert/AP Photo/Allison Robbert
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FR172296 AP
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks as Dr. Anthony Fauci appears before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at the Capitol, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is arguing a Trump administration move amounts to a move toward socialism.

The White House secured agreements giving the federal government stakes in more than 30 companies, including nuclear power producer Westinghouse, metals and element concerns, and chipmaker Intel. It is ignored criticism that this strategy aligns it more with centrally planned economies than capitalist ones.

Paul wrote on X that "if socialism is government owning the means of production, wouldn't the government owning part of Intel be a step toward socialism?"

The president insists more such agreements are coming.

The White House didn't answer questions on well between Trump talking about denouncing Democrats as communists while having the government take large stakes in private companies.