• The Biden administration secured commitments from top semiconductor chipmakers to build US factories.
• Building chip factories can take years, and some factories have faced delays.
• Hiring for roles in semiconductor manufacturing could come under the Trump administration.

The Biden administration's efforts to boost US semiconductor manufacturing and employment could bear fruit during the Trump administration.

During his term, Biden secured commitments from five of the world's leading chip manufacturers —TSMC, Intel, Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix — to build factories in the US as part of an effort to shore up production of the critical technology. Semiconductor chips power a wide variety of products, including iPhones, pickup trucks, washing machines, and military equipment.

However, many of these factories are still in various stages of construction, and for some, it will be years before they're producing chips. Much of the hiring for manufacturing roles could come under president-elect Donald Trump or a future administration, experts told Business Insider.

Jeff Koch, an analyst at the semiconductor research and consulting firm SemiAnalysis, told Business Insider that the current building of US chip factories has already created construction jobs. However, Koch said that the anticipated boost in semiconductor manufacturing employment hasn't materialized yet.

Koch and Stephen Ezell, the vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, said manufacturing jobs would likely be realized during the Trump administration.

"The longer it takes to get the funds disbursed and the projects fully underway, then the longer it takes to get to full hiring for construction of the facilities and the operational staffing of them once they're complete," said Ezell, referring to CHIPS Act funding that the five leading chipmakers — in addition to other semiconductor companies — have been allocated from the Biden administration.

The chipmakers are expected to receive some of the $39 billion in manufacturing incentives tied to the CHIPS Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. The Biden administration is trying to finalize funding agreements before Trump — who has criticized the CHIPS Act — takes office in January.

The US could see about 42,000 direct jobs at the companies building these factories and 101,500 indirect jobs at chipmakers' suppliers, per a report published in 2021 by the Semiconductor Industry Association — a trade association and lobbying group — that said a $50 billion investment would help create an estimated 10 additional chip factories in the US.

To be sure, it's not uncommon for the benefits of a president's policy initiative to see gains after the leader leaves office. This is a reality Biden understands.

"Much of the work we've done is already being felt by the American people, but the vast majority will not be felt, will be felt over the next 10 years," Biden said in November about his administration's policies.

Additionally, the construction of chip factories is particularly complicated, and it often takes years for these projects to be completed.

"This is the world's most complex technology," Jimmy Goodrich, senior advisor for technology analysis to the RAND Corporation, said of semiconductors. "You're talking about producing transistors — billions on a single chip — each of them is 20 to 30,000 times smaller than the human hair."

Business Insider reached out to TSMC, Intel, Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix to confirm the latest status of their US-based chip factories under construction. The table below shows where the chipmakers have committed to building factories in the US. Intel declined to provide estimated completion dates for its four factories.

When reached for comment, the Trump-Vance transition team didn't respond to a question about Trump's plans to boost US semiconductor manufacturing employment.

Building chip factories takes time

Koch said Taiwan-based TSMC began hiring over two years ago. The company is expected to begin full production levels — BI previously reported it already started making chips for Apple — at its first Phoenix factory early next year after facing some delays.

TSMC is projecting that its second and third chip Phoenix-based factories will begin production in 2028 and by the end of the decade, respectively. The second factory was initially slated for a 2026 opening.

Micron, which is based in Boise, Idaho, has five factories in the works — four in Clay, New York, and one in Boise. The Boise factory is expected to begin production in 2026, the company told BI, but Micron's Clay factories have faced some delays.

SK Hynix, which is based in South Korea, expects to begin mass chip production at its West Lafayette, Indiana factory in the second half of 2028. Samsung is projecting that it will begin chip production at its chip factory in Taylor, Texas in 2026. In October, Reuters reported that Samsung has postponed taking deliveries of chipmaking equipment because it has yet to land any major customers for the project.

The Commerce Department said that TSMC, Intel, Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC are "five of the world's leading and most advanced leading-edge logic and leading-edge memory chip manufacturers." The Commerce Department added that building chip factories is a very intensive and complex construction project — and that it often takes three to five years before factories are fully constructed and operational.

While creating US semiconductor manufacturing jobs would be good news for the people who eventually land these roles, Chris Miller, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on semiconductors, told BI that he thinks the Biden administration's main goal was to boost US chip manufacturing. Doing so could help secure US supply chains and make the country less reliant on advanced chips made in Taiwan.

"The point is to have more chip manufacturing, which will mostly come over the next few years," he said.

Do you work in the US semiconductor industry? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

• Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger is out of the top spot after a challenging 4-year tenure.
• The company's interim co-CEOs addressed the workforce Monday morning in an all-hands meeting.
• One Intel employee described the responses to questions as "vague" and the tone of the meeting as "damage control".

On Monday morning, Intel employees joined an all-hands meeting after receiving an email invite at 5 a.m. PT.

Accompanying the invite was the news that the company's CEO Pat Gelsinger had stepped down as of Sunday, and would be temporarily replaced by co-CEOs David Zinsner, Intel's chief financial officer for nearly three years, and Michelle Johnston Holthaus, the new CEO of product.

Gelsinger's move came without warning. He isn't staying on to transition out slowly or help with the search for his replacement. Come 9 a.m. the pair of fresh co-CEOs were bombarded with questions.

Why did Gelsinger leave so suddenly? What kind of CEO is Intel trying to get now? How can employees trust leadership after repeated missteps?, employees asked.

The man at the center of the conversation was not there. Being CEO of Intel was Pat Gelsinger's dream since he joined the company as a teenager in 1979. He achieved it improbably after being ousted once already.

"He was the prodigal son returning," described Alvin Nguyen, senior analyst at Forrester. Gelsinger returned a savior, but now he's retiring at 63 and Intel is far from saved. Multiple outlets reported Monday that Gelsinger's departure is the result of board rancor, with Bloomberg reporting that the CEO was given the choice to retire or be removed from the job.

Gelsinger's departure was a "personal decision", executives repeated in the all-hands, according to a current employee in attendance.

Intel's interim leadership brings deep knowledge of the company's finances, products, and customers.

Zisner has overseen the recent cost-cutting effort, and Holthaus has been steeped in Intel for nearly 20 years. But no one at the top has the technical expertise of Gelsinger, which Intel employees pointed out in their questions. Yet despite his technical prowess as Intel's first chief technology officer, Intel remains in critical condition.

The leaders emphasized that the company goals would not change: employees would improve efficiency and, reduce costs, and the company would need to execute better with products and with the crucial 18A process.

Holthaus told employees on the call that her leadership style is direct and transparent, according to the employee in attendance. She reminded them that she has worked at Intel for many years.

Intel declined to comment, but a spokesperson pointed to Gelsinger's departure press release.

Contending with Intel's many misses

Intel has more than 65% of the market for traditional PCs and 85% of the server market, according to Edward Jones. Yet critical missteps plague the company. Zisner and Holthaus likely can't wait for an executive search to conclude to address them.

Supporting the passage of the CHIPS Act and obtaining its promised funding has been a major focus of Gelsinger's nearly 4-year term as CEO. However, the funding is contingent upon hitting execution benchmarks, with which the company has struggled.

Last week, the Department of Commerce finalized its direct funding for Intel under the CHIPS Act, totaling $7.865 billion. Said funding fell short of the original amount of $8.5 billion announced.

"While we have made significant progress in regaining manufacturing competitiveness and building the capabilities to be a world-class foundry, we know that we have much more work to do at the company and are committed to restoring investor confidence," said Frank Yeary, now Intel's interim board executive chair, said in a statement.

Intel's overall fall from grace is most apparent in the context of the rise in the importance of accelerated computing and AI.

In 2021, when Gelsinger took over as CEO, shares of Nvidia were trading below $30. The GPU designer's recent rise to one of the most valuable companies in the world has put a spotlight on Intel's relative absence from the accelerated computing race that Nvidia has come to dominate. Median pay at Intel has remained stagnant the last five years compared to other competitors as employee cuts continue.

Gelsinger said last month that the company would miss its target of $500 million in sales this year of its AI chip, Gaudi 3. But analysts told Business Insider that 18A, the company's most advanced manufacturing node, is actually more important to Intel's resurgence than making a splash in AI.

"Intel has ostensibly 'bet' the company on 18A for salvation," Bernstein analysts wrote.

The costs of bringing this node online are likely to increase further, and it "still to get any external validation from large fabless customers," according to Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya. But this expensive work is essential to bring Intel back to the cutting edge and make it an attractive partner for bleeding-edge chip designers like Nvidia.

"The importance of bringing manufacturing back in-house can't be overstated," Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman told BI. The fate of the company, and the legacy of Gelsinger rides on it.

"The cornerstone of Pat's tenure as CEO was built upon Intel achieving process leadership or at least parity and if they cannot execute with 18A, then it was all for naught," Logan Purk, senior research analyst at Edward Jones, told BI. Given slow-moving technological progress and cost-cutting, and fast-moving competitors, Intel's next CEO may be inheriting a harder job than Gelsinger did.

"It was a tough situation when Pat showed up, and things look much worse now," Bernstein analysts wrote in a note to investors.

No one has been a closer witness to this roller coaster than Intel employees, who have seen multiple waves of layoffs and buyouts.

Monday's meeting had the distinct flavor of "damage control", according to the employee.

Intel shares were down 60% Monday, compared to the day Gelsinger took the CEO job. However, shares jumped slightly upon Monday's announcement of Gelsinger's retirement.

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• Intel is getting $7.9 billion in federal grants from the Biden administration.
• The US Department of Commerce announced the grant, part of the CHIPS Act, on Tuesday.
• President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the CHIPS Act in favor of tariffs.

Intel is receiving about $7.9 billion in federal grants, the US Department of Commerce said Tuesday, as the Biden administration finalizes CHIPS Act agreements ahead of Donald Trump taking office.

It is $600 million less than President Joe Biden's $8.5 billion preliminary grant announced in March. Intel is receiving less than what was initially promised because it also received a separate grant of $3 billion to produce chips for the military, the Department of Commerce told The New York Times.

The chip giant is on track to receive at least $1 billion of the total grant award before the end of this year, a senior administration official told Bloomberg.

President-elect Trump has previously criticized the CHIPS Act and suggested he would prefer tariffs to incentivize semiconductor manufacturing on US soil. This has caused the Biden administration to scramble to finalize billions of dollars in payments before the end of the year.

The CHIPS Act cash will help Intel boost its semiconductor production in the US. It is expected to invest nearly $90 billion in the US by the end of the decade.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a press release that Intel's investments across Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon would "supercharge American innovation" and that the company is playing an important part in the "revitalization" of the semiconductor industry in the US.

"Strong bipartisan support for restoring American technology and manufacturing leadership is driving historic investments that are critical to the country's long-term economic growth and national security," added Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger.

Intel's share price is down by almost 50% this year. It has racked up billions in losses and faced a series of challenges, including layoffs.

The Wall Street Journal reported in September that Qualcomm was interested in acquiring Intel. However, its takeover interest has since cooled as a result of some complications related to acquiring the entire company, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Intel didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours.

• TSMC's Phoenix chip factories likely won't eliminate US dependence on tech from Taiwan.
• Experts told BI that TSMC's most advanced chips will likely continue to be produced in Taiwan.
• Taiwan's central role in a crucial global industry could help it secure support from the US.

Some US businesses are likely to continue depending on TSMC chips made in Taiwan for the foreseeable future, even as the company builds factories in Arizona.

On November 15, the Biden administration announced that the Commerce Department had awarded TSMC — the world's leading chipmaker — with up to $6.6 billion in funding to aid the construction of three chip factories in Phoenix. The first factory is expected to begin full production levels in early 2025.

In a press release, the Biden administration said the announcement was "among the most critical milestones yet" in the implementation of the CHIPS Act. Supporters of the law hope it will create US jobs, secure supply chains, and make the US less reliant on advanced chips from Taiwan — which faces the possible threat of a Chinese invasion. TSMC produces an estimated 90% of the world's advanced chips, which power everything from iPhones to cars.

While TSMC's Phoenix factories are expected to boost semiconductor chip production in the US, the company isn't making its most advanced chips stateside, industry experts told Business Insider.

Jeff Koch, an analyst at the semiconductor research and consulting firm SemiAnalysis, told BI that chips made in TSMC's US factories are expected to be one to two levels behind the company's more advanced Taiwan-made chips. For example, chips produced using 4 nanometer (nm) technology are expected to be made in the first Phoenix factory, while TSMC's Taiwan factories are already producing chips using 3nm technology. The smaller the nanometer number, the more transistors manufacturers can fit on a chip, making it more powerful and energy-efficient.

While 3nm chips are expected to be produced in TSMC's second Arizona factory — which is slated to begin full production in 2028 — Koch said this would likely come after the production of 2nm chips begins in Taiwan, which is estimated to happen next year, according to TSMC.

Stephen Ezell, the vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, told BI that by the time TSMC's Phoenix factory starts making 2nm chips, he'd expect the company to be producing even more advanced chips in Taiwan.

"The United States will be dependent on chips from Taiwan for a long time to come," he said. "Even if the CHIPS Act is wildly successful, it'll barely get the US back to 17% to 20% of global chip production." The US currently produces about 10% of the world's chips.

The Department of Commerce told BI that as TSMC's Arizona fabs become operational, it expects to see the production of TSMC's most advanced chips transition into the US over the coming years.

TSMC declined to comment on whether the company's most advanced chips will continue to be produced in Taiwan.

Keeping TSMC's most advanced chips in Taiwan gives the island leverage

Companies that prefer to use the most cutting-edge technology — like Nvidia, Apple, Qualcomm, and AMD — will likely continue to source chips from Taiwan, said Chris Miller, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on semiconductors.

"I think TSMC's plants in Arizona are significant, but given current policies and investment trends, the US will be using large volumes of chips made in Taiwan for many years into the future," added Miller, who is the author of "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology,"

TSMC's most advanced chips are made first in Taiwan, in part, because that is where the company conducts its research and development — which makes it easier to roll out more sophisticated technologies. Additionally, keeping that level of production in Taiwan could help the island retain its essential role in the chipmaking industry, which is crucial to the global economy, Koch said.

He added that this dynamic could make the US more likely to provide Taiwan with military support if China invaded.

"It's very unlikely that the Taiwanese government would allow TSMC to build its most advanced fabs in the US without a few years' lag," he said, adding, "This is Taiwan's most valuable strategic capability. Without it, extracting a US security guarantee or support from the Trump administration goes from hard to impossible."

William Alan Reinsch, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a national security think tank, told BI the Biden administration's goal was to boost domestic chip production — not to completely erase US businesses' reliance on foreign-made chips.

What's more, efforts to develop and foster the US semiconductor industry could help protect America's supply chains from geopolitical events, even if some US businesses continue to source chips from Taiwan.

Do you work in the US semiconductor industry? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

• The CHIPS and Science Act, offering over $30 billion in incentives, spurred semiconductor lobbying.
• Nvidia, TSMC, and Intel are enhancing government relations amid evolving trade policies.
• Most heads of government relations and lobbyists are part of the "revolving door."

In 2022, Nvidia spent $90,000 on lobbying in Washington. In 2023, that number quintupled to more than $500,000.

While Big Tech companies have spent millions lobbying in Washington, DC, on issues such as AI and antitrust regulation, the CHIPS and Science Act, which is set to give out more than $30 billion in incentives funding to chip companies, kicked things into high gear for the semiconductor industry. The Department of Commerce said in November that Intel will receive about $7.9 billion in federal grants.

American manufacturers like Intel and Micron boosted their lobbying funding, while foreign companies like TSMC assembled their DC-based government relations teams in response. And while chip designers like Nvidia and AMD are not direct CHIPS Act funding recipients, they hold an interest in shifting manufacturing dependence on TSMC in case of any geopolitical conflicts in Taiwan.

Business Insider reviewed lobbying public disclosure reports associated with various chip companies and focused on the top listed lobbyists and governmental affairs departments. Most members were part of the "revolving door," switching from staffing on the hill, campaigns, and other agencies to the private sector.

"Given that more government policies are impacting the chip industry relative to several years ago–tariffs, incentives, tax policies, etc.— it isn't surprising that the chip industry is focusing more on this," said Chris Miller, the author of the book "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology."

President Joe Biden's administration has scrambled to finalize CHIPS Act funding since the election of Donald Trump, who advocated for higher tariffs and attacked the bipartisan legislation in an interview with Joe Rogan in October.

A Department of Commerce spokesperson said in November that the department has awarded over $10 billion so far and expects to allocate all incentives funds this year.

Companies will push to finalize their CHIPS Act grants in the short term and try to build more connections with Republican policymakers in the long term, said Lori Yue, an associate management professor at Columbia Business School who studies corporate political strategy.

"Government change would definitely affect lobbying as the executive branch has a lot of power in terms of regulation," she said.

The Department of Commerce spokesperson said that the due diligence and negotiation processes for finalizing funding are "bespoke" for each applicant. The spokesperson declined to comment on chip lobbying efforts and the specifics of individual CHIPS applicants.

Yue said that hiring lobbyists depends on what expertise and networks they already have.

"For example, they have worked on certain governmental issues before. They really know every single regulatory procedure on this issue. That person can be very valuable. Besides what they know is who they know: how can this person bring the company's perspective to the policymakers and connect to the person in power?" said Yue.

Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, CEO of investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and an advocate for tariffs, as his commerce secretary.

Nvidia

Lobbying spend in 2024: $480,000

Top firms: Nickles Group, Tiber Creek Group

Current top lobbyists: Luke Holland, Don Kent, Jeff Choudhry

CHIPS Act recipient amount: N/A

Top issues: CHIPS and Science Act implementation, semiconductor design and fabrication, AI policy, overseas restrictions of exports and chips trade

While Nvidia employs its own government affairs office, it uses outside firms rather than in-house lobbyists. The Nickles Group was founded by former Oklahoma Republican Sen. Don Nickles, who served 24 years in Congress and focused heavily on deregulation and tax reduction for businesses.

Luke Holland previously served as chief of staff to Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma. Holland's practice focuses on areas such as aviation, defense, and trade.

Before transitioning to The Nickles Group, Jeff Choudhry worked on Capitol Hill for Arizona's Republican Rep. Trent Franks, acting as a liaison to the House Judiciary Committee. He focused on issues such as interstate commerce, taxation, bankruptcy, and other commercial law. His practice now focuses on antitrust, mergers and acquisitions, IT, and foreign policy related to China.

Don Kent has served in a wide range of positions within the legislative and executive branches in Washington. His practice draws from working at the Department of Homeland Security, at the US Senate Budget Committee, and with senators, focusing on immigration, foreign relations, and technology.

Nvidia declined to comment beyond public filings.

TSMC

Lobbying spend in 2024: $2.32 million

Top firms: TSMC government affairs

Current top lobbyists: Peter Cleveland, Nicholas Montella, Claire Sanderson Hambrick, Stefanie Dearie

CHIPS Act recipient amount: $6.6 billion, finalized November 15

Top issues: CHIPS and Science Act implementation, US-Taiwan relations, investment taxes, tax reductions for Taiwanese residents, export and trade regulations, immigration, workforce development, environmental permits for chip factories

TSMC expanded its US-based government relations department to address the rise in US-China trade tensions and the ban on exports to Huawei. One of the company's first hires was Peter Cleveland, a former Intel lobbyist for over a decade, who took on the position of senior vice president. Before working for Intel, Cleveland worked with former Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Robb.

Other TSMC lobbyists bring experience dealing with Asia-Pacific affairs. Nicholas Montella began his career working as an ESL instructor in China and South Korea before shifting to Washington. He ultimately served as the director of Japan, Korea, and APEC policy in the US Chamber of Commerce.

Claire Sanderson Hambrick served as a lead policy advisor for Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, working on legislation such as the CHIPS for America Act and the Secure 5G and Beyond Act.

Stefanie Dearie is a former Hill staffer who focused on monetary policy and trade. She worked at Accenture's government relations team before joining TSMC as a senior counsel.

TSMC declined to comment on its lobbying efforts.

Intel

Lobbying spend in 2024: $5.22 million

Top firms: Intel government affairs

Current top lobbyists: Allen Thompson, Eminence Griffin, David Shahoulian, Jordan Haas, Shannon Taylor

CHIPS Act recipient amount: Awarded $7.9 billion on November 26, with $1 billion received by the end of 2024

Top issues: CHIPS and Science Act implementation, environmental permits for chips factories, overseas restrictions of exports and chips trade, US-China relations

For the last decade, Intel has consistently spent more than $3 million lobbying annually. Its $7.08 million efforts in 2022 were likely rewarded when the Department of Commerce announced it would award Intel $8.5 billion to expand its factories across the country.

Former Raytheon government relations director Allen Thompson joined Intel in 2020 to serve as the company's vice president of US-Canada Government Relations. Thompson is a seasoned veteran in securing funding. At Raytheon, he helped secure over $20 million for Navy and aerospace projects. A former Hill staffer, he also worked on tech lobbying projects at Mehlman Consulting and served in the US Coast Guard's intelligence unit.

Intel splits its government affairs advocacy into different focus areas. David Shahoulian oversees workforce policy and brings experience working in general counsel roles for the House Judiciary Committee and the US Department of Homeland Security.

Shannon Taylor, who focuses on technology and manufacturing policy advocacy, worked as counsel for the US House of Representatives on the commerce and energy subcommittees before transitioning to government affairs at the Information Technology Industry Council, a special interest lobbying group for tech companies.

Fellow ITI alum Eminence Griffin, who focuses on public sector relations, worked as a procurement counsel for the House of Representatives and in government affairs at Dell.

Jordan Haas oversees trade policy advocacy, with past work experience at the Office of the US Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce.

Intel did not respond to a request for comment.

AMD

Lobbying spend in 2024: $2.13 million

Top firms: AMD government relations and regulatory affairs, Forbes Tate Partners, Mehlman Consulting

Current top lobbyists: Jonathan Hoganson, Grant Gardner, Sarah Badawi

CHIPS Act recipient amount: N/A

Top issues: CHIPS and Science Act implementation, AI, tax credits, trade and outbound investments

AMD's lobbying spending trickled down to when the company underwent a business model transformation and then increased in 2018 when it pitched in $2.29 million, focusing on legislation related to foreign investment and energy research.

Jonathan Hoganson is AMD's corporate vice president of government relations and regulatory affairs. He previously spearheaded government affairs at Micron and worked under former Democratic Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel.

Grant Gardner is another AMD government relations director who worked at the Department of Commerce. He also holds many Republican Party connections; he was a legislative staff member under former Speaker of the House John Boehner and served as a special projects director for the Republican National Committee during Trump's 2016 election.

Before joining AMD's government relations team, Sarah Badawi served as a senior advisor and national deputy political director for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during his 2020 campaign run. She also planned fundraising events for Elizabeth Warren's senatorial campaign in 2012 and then transitioned to work for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, an organization that supports progressive down-ballot candidates.

AMD did not respond to a request for comment.

Micron

Lobbying spend in 2024: $1.77 million

Top firms: Micron Technology, Crossroads Strategies, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Current top lobbyists: Jon Dickinson, Bo Machayo, Jeff Wilson

CHIPS Act recipient amount: $6.1 billion, finalized December 10

Top issues: CHIPS and Science Act implementation, US-Taiwan relations, environmental permits for chips factories, research & development, manufacturing tax credits for semiconductors, US semiconductor competitiveness

In the last three years, Micron has hired Jon Dickinson and Bo Machayo to serve as vice president of global government affairs and head of US government affairs, respectively. Dickinson brings extensive California legislature staffing experience and a decade spent at HP leading government affairs. Machayo previously worked in the Senate, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House, focusing on the economy, energy, and Africa.

Micron added Jeff Wilson to its DC base this year. Wilson worked for various Republican senators on staff for years before transitioning to government affairs for the aerospace industry.

Micron did not respond to a request for comment.

Samsung

Lobbying spend in 2024: $5.69 million

Top firms: Samsung Electronics America

Current top lobbyists: Jennifer Cetta, Kevin O'Hanlon, Holly Pataki

CHIPS Act recipient amount: $6.4 billion, not yet received

Top issues: electric vehicle policy, CHIPS and Science Act implementation, investment in the US by foreign companies, US-Korea relations

Samsung's Washington lobbying efforts span wider than other chip companies, given that the company is also involved in industries such as telecommunications. Jennifer Cetta is cited at the top of lobbying disclosures. She has served as director and senior counsel of government relations for Samsung for more than a decade.

A Micron government affairs alum, Holly Pataki began working for Samsung in 2022. She also previously worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee, advising fundraising campaign strategies for Republican legislators.

Kevin O'Hanlon began his career working for Democratic House representatives from North Carolina and Ohio before shifting to lobbying for the video games industry.

Samsung did not respond to a request for comment.

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Editor's note: This list was first published on November 23, 2024, and has been updated to reflect recent developments.