AsianFin -- The Trump administration is reportedly considering taking an equity stake of up to 10% in Lithium Americas, according to a Reuters report late Tuesday. The potential move underscores Washington’s growing interest in securing domestic sources of critical materials for national security and the electric vehicle industry.

Lithium Americas is currently renegotiating the terms of a $2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop its Thacker Pass lithium reserve in Humboldt County, Nevada. The project, slated to open in 2028 in partnership with General Motors, sits atop North America’s largest known lithium deposit and is poised to become a central node in the supply chain for battery-quality lithium carbonate, a critical component in electric vehicles and other high-demand electronics.

In recent months, the administration has taken stakes in other companies deemed strategically important for the U.S. supply chain. Notably, it acquired a 10% stake in Intel and has also invested in MP Materials, a rare-earth mining company crucial to domestic production of essential minerals. Lithium Americas would join this growing list of firms where the government is positioning itself as a shareholder to safeguard critical resources.