United States Representative Tim Moore made a timely stock purchase in Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) just weeks before the government announced it would take a 10% stake in the chipmaker.

According to filings, Moore bought between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of Intel shares on July 29, 2025, when the stock was trading around $20. The trade was disclosed on August 5.

At the time, the move attracted little attention. But since then, Intel’s stock has surged more than 21% after the Donald Trump administration revealed on August 22 that the government would acquire nearly a 10% stake in the company. 

That was more than two weeks before the public announcement. By then, Intel stock had already been climbing in anticipation of policy support, but the official confirmation sent INTC sharply higher.

Speculation on INTC trade

Questions about the Congress trade are likely to emerge, given that Moore sits on the House Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence, which has direct oversight of technology policy. His role could have provided him with advanced insight into negotiations between the government and Intel.

It’s worth noting that Intel’s recovery was uncertain before the intervention, with analysts doubting its ability to compete with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). The government’s $8.9 billion purchase of 433 million shares at $20.47 set a valuation floor and lifted investor confidence.

At the same time, the 10% stake marks a rare government intervention outside a financial crisis, driven not by economic turmoil but by strategic policy.

The stake will be funded with $5.7 billion from CHIPS Act grants and $3.2 billion from the Secure Enclave program, a once-classified initiative approved by Congress in 2024 after lobbying by Intel.

Notably, the move follows President Trump’s recent deals with Nvidia and AMD, under which both chipmakers agreed to hand over 15% of revenues from certain China sales in exchange for U.S. export licenses.

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