Trump administration wants 10% stake in American lithium miner that sells to GM

Core Insights - The Trump administration is seeking a 10% equity stake in Lithium Americas in exchange for renegotiating a $2.26 billion Department of Energy loan [1][2] - The Thacker Pass mine in Nevada, developed by Lithium Americas, is expected to produce enough lithium for 800,000 electric vehicles annually [3] - GM holds a 38% stake in Lithium Americas, having invested $625 million, and has rights to purchase the entirety of the first phase of production [4] Group 1 - The U.S. government has previously negotiated stakes in companies like Intel and MP Materials, indicating a trend in government involvement in key industries [2] - The Trump administration's support for the lithium project is framed as a balance between project success and taxpayer fairness [2] - The loan for the Thacker Pass project was awarded under President Biden, highlighting bipartisan interest in the lithium mining sector [3] Group 2 - The first phase of the Thacker Pass mine is projected to support the production of lithium for 1.6 million electric vehicles over the next two decades [4] - The Trump administration is reportedly asking GM to guarantee lithium purchases, despite efforts to limit the transition to electric vehicles [4]