‘I am responsible’: Trump claims he made America $30B in 90 days from a single stock move — here’s how you can get in the game too

"Intel Stock continues to rise," he wrote (1). "I'm very proud of that Company in that I am responsible for making the United States of America over 30 Billion Dollars in the last 90 days on that stock alone."

Trump framed it as a win not only for Intel, but for the country.

"Congratulations to Intel on doing such a great job and, more importantly, congratulations to the People of the United States for making such a good investment!" he added.

The post referred to the federal government's stake in Intel — a deal announced in August 2025 that gave Washington a 9.9% ownership stake in the chipmaker (2). Under the agreement, the U.S. government purchased 433.3 million Intel shares at $20.47 apiece, for a total investment of about $8.9 billion.

The money came from previously awarded federal support: $5.7 billion in unpaid CHIPS and Science Act grants and $3.2 billion tied to the Secure Enclave program, which supports trusted semiconductor manufacturing for national security. Intel said the government's stake would be passive, with no board seat or other governance rights.

At the time, the deal sparked intense debate. Supporters saw it as a way to strengthen domestic chipmaking and give taxpayers upside from federal support. Critics warned it blurred the line between free enterprise and government-directed capitalism.

But at least on paper, Trump now has a major win to point to.

Intel stock began trending higher last summer — then surged in 2026. The shares now trade at around $115 apiece as of this writing. Based on the government's 433.3 million-share stake, that would value Washington's position at roughly $49.8 billion — an unrealized gain of about $40.9 billion compared with the $8.9 billion it paid.

That's a staggering paper gain — and the rally has been hard to ignore.

Intel stock has been buoyed by investor optimism over its turnaround, U.S. manufacturing support and demand tied to AI infrastructure. In the first quarter of 2026, Intel revenue came in at $13.6 billion, up 7% year over year, with its Data Center and AI revenue rising 22% to $5.1 billion (3).

Build wealth with American stocks

Trump's Intel victory lap fits a broader message he has been pushing: America's economy is strong, U.S. companies are winning, and the stock market still has room to run.

For investors, there's a reason that message may resonate. U.S. stocks have long been one of the most accessible ways for everyday Americans to build wealth — giving them a stake in the country's biggest companies, from chipmakers and software giants to banks, manufacturers and consumer brands.

The benchmark S&P 500 returned 16% in 2025 and is up roughly 79% over the past five years.

And Trump has been eager to highlight that momentum. At a rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, he told supporters, "The only thing that's really going up big? It's called the stock market and your 401(k)s (4)."

Still, past performance is no guarantee of future results — and not all stocks are the same. Intel's rally shows how powerful the upside can be when a turnaround story, policy support and investor optimism all line up. But chasing headlines alone can be risky.

Investors may want to look beyond the buzz and focus on fundamentals: revenue growth, earnings momentum, competitive positioning, valuation and the broader trends driving demand.

For those who want help cutting through the noise, research platforms like Moby can make the process easier. Their team of former hedge fund analysts does the heavy lifting — breaking down the market, flagging quality stocks, and making the research easy to digest.

In fact, across nearly 400 stock picks over the past four years, Moby's recommendations have beaten the S&P 500 by almost 12% on average. Their research keeps you up-to-the-minute on market shifts, and takes the guesswork out of choosing investments.

Plus, their reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.

Warren Buffett's simple playbook

Of course, investors don't have to hunt for the next Intel to participate in America's stock-market upside.

Investing legend Warren Buffett has long argued that most people are better off owning a low-cost index fund than trying to pick individual winners. His preferred approach is simple: buy a broad slice of American business, keep costs low and let compounding work over time.

"In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund," Buffett has famously stated (5). This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America's largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.

It can be especially useful in a market where excitement over AI, semiconductors and reshoring has sent some individual stocks soaring. An S&P 500 index fund includes many of the same tech and industrial giants powering the market's rally — while reducing the risk of betting too heavily on any one company.

The best part? Accessibility. Anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of this strategy. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.

Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: link your cards, and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio.