No, business judgment of directors that they got funding that would otherwise be withheld by a vengeful administration. And now they likely get regulatory favoritism, customers who want to curry favor, etc.
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This is horrifying. It tells us the Trump administration is a true kleptocracy. And confirms that bribery and flattery are necessary for corporate success.
aug 25, 2025, 9:32 pm • 4 0 • view
Yes. This should have - and probably does have - most of corporate America terrified. But, like the universities, like the health care industry, they can't find it in themselves to coordinate a unified response, so.
aug 25, 2025, 9:33 pm • 9 0 • view
I don't have much faith in the health care industry, but had certainly hoped that universities might join together to defend their core principle of intellectual freedom. Corporations less so, since competition is at their core.
aug 25, 2025, 9:36 pm • 1 0 • view
That said, a shareholder might be able to at least embarrass the board with a demand for internal records re: the decisionmaking process, though I doubt the company will give up much (or that a court would require the company to do so)
aug 25, 2025, 9:30 pm • 13 1 • view
Thanks. I was wondering if something such as that might preclude. It sounds like it wouldn’t be immediately dismissed and forcing Intel to articulate what of tangible value it received would have some entertainment value
aug 25, 2025, 10:11 pm • 0 0 • view
I will also say that back when I had convos with CFOs they were always saying they couldn’t do things D administrations wanted them to do b/c they’d face shareholder suits. Giving away 10% of the company is a much bigger deal than anything we discussed
aug 25, 2025, 10:14 pm • 0 0 • view
With regards to "regulatory favoritism, customers who want to curry favor, etc.", do you think the board really believes that? The whims of the administration are so fickle that even corrupt favoritism doesn't seem guaranteed. Only the risk of vengeance seems indisputable and must be terrifying.
aug 25, 2025, 9:56 pm • 0 0 • view
Admin may be fickle but it's a 10% owner. It wants the profit.
aug 25, 2025, 10:00 pm • 1 0 • view
Do they? If it won't go to Trump himself (as far as we know), then does he have any motivation for profit?
aug 25, 2025, 10:03 pm • 0 0 • view