WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said it is supporting a new effort involving Intel and Apple to expand semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, after President Donald Trump announced that Apple had agreed to work with Intel on designing and producing chips domestically. The announcement was made on Thursday, according to a post by Trump on his social media platform, though Apple and Intel had not immediately confirmed the agreement publicly.
Trump said the partnership would involve Apple working with Intel to “design and build” chips in the United States, presenting the move as part of his administration’s broader push to increase domestic semiconductor production. Reuters reported that Apple and Intel did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the announcement.
The announcement comes as Intel has been expanding its foundry business, which involves manufacturing chips designed by other companies. Reuters reported that a partnership with Apple would provide Intel with a major customer as it seeks to strengthen its position in semiconductor manufacturing. Apple currently designs its own processors and relies heavily on outside manufacturers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), for production of many of its advanced chips, according to Reuters.
The U.S. government has taken steps to support domestic chip production through the CHIPS Act and other semiconductor initiatives. Reuters reported that the Trump administration previously acquired a stake in Intel as part of efforts to support the company and expand U.S. chip manufacturing capacity.
Intel and Apple have had a long relationship in the past. Apple used Intel processors in Mac computers before transitioning to its own Apple silicon chips beginning in 2020. Under the reported arrangement, Intel would manufacture chips based on Apple’s designs rather than supplying Intel-designed processors for Apple devices, according to technology reports.
The announcement affected financial markets, with Intel shares rising after Trump’s statement, according to Reuters and other market reports. The companies did not provide details on which specific chips would be produced, the size of the agreement or a manufacturing timeline.
Supporters of expanding U.S. semiconductor manufacturing have said increasing domestic production could strengthen supply chains for critical technologies. Industry officials have also noted that building advanced chip manufacturing capacity requires significant investment and time.
On Monday, officials continued discussions around the reported partnership, but details about the final terms, production locations and implementation schedule remained unclear. Apple and Intel had not issued a joint statement confirming the agreement as of the latest reports.
