United States | Going big

America’s bet on industrial policy starts to pay off for semiconductors

Trump will not reverse the chip subsidies, but will he reinforce them?

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo speaks at a convention in San Fransico
She took care of businessPhotograph: AP
|WASHINGTON, DC

IN THE FINAL days of Joe Biden’s presidency, most parts of his administration are winding down. Not so the top brass in the Department of Commerce: on an almost daily basis, they are signing giant funding contracts with chipmakers, racing to dole out cash before Donald Trump enters the White House. When all is said and done, they will have awarded nearly $40bn to semiconductor makers in little more than a year—arguably the biggest single bet on industrial policy by the government in decades, and one that could end up as Mr Biden’s most lasting economic legacy.

Explore more

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Going big”

From the January 11th 2025 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition
Donald Trump arrives for his speech to a joint session of Congress as Melanie Stansbury holds a sign reading "This is not normal"

Donald Trump’s Washington reaches a new partisan peak

His address to Congress showed that Republicans will follow their leader anywhere, and that Democrats don’t have one

Election 2025 NYC Mayor Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo plots a comeback in New York City

The disgraced former governor announces a run for mayor of the Big Apple


US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives for a press conference - US flags in the background and Hegseth's pocket square with US flag too.

Trump’s armed forces won’t look like Biden’s

America is set to spend more—and differently 


Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s savvy dealmaker

The novice diplomat embodies the president’s transactional worldview

America has never had state media like it does today

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are revolutionising presidential communication

America’s Gen Z has got religion

Because of them, a long decline in the number of Christians has levelled off