Intel's break up problem

Major news outlets have conflicting reports on whether the Trump administration is supportive of a foreign firm buying a piece of Intel.

Why it's the BFD: An acquisition will not just depend on the U.S., but also regulators from around the world.

Context: A White House official told Reuters that President Trump is unlikely to support a foreign firm — such as TSMC — taking over Intel's factories.

Yes, but: The New York Times previously reported the administration was working with TSMC on an Intel deal.

• Broadcom is reportedly interested in Intel's chip design business, while Silver Lake is said to be interested in a stake in Altera, per Reuters.

Flashback: Back in 2023, Intel sought to buy Israeli chipmaker Tower, but Chinese antitrust regulators didn't rule on the deal in time, and Intel paid a $353 million termination fee instead of the $5.3 billion price tag to buy the business.

• Similarly, U.S. giant Qualcomm ended its $44 billion deal to buy Dutch player NXP after failing to win approval in China in 2018.

Regulators in Europe would also likely have a say on any major Intel deal. "That's the bigger problem — with all these deals you are talking about such large companies, can you get everyone to bless the deal?" says Wedbush's Matthew Bryson.

The bottom line: Intel's ability to break up will be a reflection of the state of U.S. foreign relations.