Key Takeaways
- America First Safeguard: The Trump administration is negotiating a less-than-10% equity stake in Lithium Americas as part of restructuring a $2.26B DOE loan, ensuring taxpayers get real value.
- Strategic Resource: Lithium Americas controls Thacker Pass, the largest known lithium reserve globally, with capacity for 40,000 tons per year of EV-grade lithium carbonate.
- Market Reaction: Investor confidence surged—Lithium Americas stock nearly doubled Wednesday, hitting its highest intraday price since April 2024, and remains up 147% over the past year.
Lithium Americas lit up Wall Street on Wednesday after reports that President Donald Trump’s administration is pursuing a strategic stake in the Nevada-based mining firm—sending shares nearly doubling in a single trading session.
According to a source familiar with the talks, Lithium Americas has agreed to let the U.S. government take a small stake—less than 10%—as part of renegotiations over a $2.26 billion Department of Energy loan originally inked under Biden. In other words, the Trump White House is rewriting the deal to make sure taxpayers aren’t left holding the bag.
General Motors, which already owns 38% of the company, is still in negotiations about whether it will support Washington’s slice of the pie. But the stakes are enormous. Lithium Americas controls Thacker Pass in northern Nevada, the largest known lithium reserve in the world—capable of producing 40,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate. That’s the stuff powering America’s EV boom.
The Biden-era loan came with strings the company couldn’t meet, triggering a restructuring push. Under Trump, the new deal would delay initial payments while ensuring American taxpayers secure real value through an equity position. It’s the kind of America First safeguard that prioritizes national security and fiscal responsibility at the same time.
Investors cheered the news. Lithium Americas stock rocketed to $6.25 a share—the highest since April 2024—before leveling near $6.12, still nearly double its prior day’s value. The stock is up 99% on the day, 115% over the past month, and a staggering 147% over the last year.
Trump’s move shows exactly how pro-growth leadership works: protect taxpayers, secure critical resources, and let American enterprise—not Beijing—set the pace for the future of energy.