Walter Isaacson Criticizes President Trump’s Approach to Intel, Nvidia, and American Manufacturing as a Form of Crony Capitalism

President Donald Trump’s engagement with Intel and Nvidia has drawn criticism, with acclaimed author Walter Isaacson describing it as a form of “scattershot” crony capitalism. In an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Isaacson expressed concern that this approach could lead to corruption and may not be effective in revitalizing American manufacturing.

Isaacson, who has recently authored a biography on Elon Musk, warned that favoring certain companies over others can result in a corrupt and disorganized system. His comments come amid increasing involvement by the Trump administration in shaping corporate practices within the U.S.

The White House is currently advocating for a share in Intel following statements by President Trump accusing CEO Lip-Bu Tan of conflicts of interest, urging him to step down.

Moreover, earlier this month, both Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices agreed to contribute 15% of their Chinese revenues towards export licenses to sell specific chips in China, as mandated by the U.S. government.

Isaacson has consistently expressed skepticism towards public-private partnerships.