Trump Demands 10% Equity Stake in Lithium Americas During $2.26B Federal Loan Renegotiation

The Trump administration demanded up to a 10 percent equity stake in Lithium Americas as it renegotiated terms of a $2.26 billion federal loan for the Thacker Pass mine project in Nevada—the western hemisphere’s largest planned lithium source. Two sources confirmed Trump officials sought to convert public financing into partial government ownership during loan talks, ultimately securing a 5% equity stake. The move sent Lithium Americas stock soaring 90% in one day (from $3 to $6.12). This represents a radical shift where Trump converts federal loans into equity stakes for government ownership in private companies, creating opportunities for political manipulation of strategically important industries while potentially enriching the government (and by extension, administration officials) through ownership in companies dependent on federal support.