Maria Aspan

Intel is one of America's original tech startups.

Remember this sound from its Intel Inside commercials?

Founded back in 1968, Intel made some of the first computer chips that have become so crucial to today's tech boom.

By the start of this century, its chips had made the tech company into a giant of American capitalism.

But last year, Intel became something very different, a symbol of how much President Trump is taking control of private companies.

In August, Trump publicly threatened Intel CEO Lipu Tan...

calling for his resignation over his ties to China.

Then Tan went to the White House to meet with Trump.

And now the United States owns a chunk of Intel and several other companies.

It's also seeking more control over today's tech darling, NVIDIA.

Trump wants NVIDIA to pay the U.S.

a 25% cut of some sales in China, as a condition of allowing it to sell some computer chips there.

Trump often makes these deals with CEOs who have gone out of their way to court him, sometimes donating to his personal projects.

Like NVIDIA CEO Jensen Wong, who's among the tech billionaires and companies funding Trump's controversial White House ballroom.

Here's Wong in April at a White House press conference.

CEOs have always tried to court the White House, whoever its occupant.

But for the U.S.

government, which almost never takes a direct stake in U.S.

companies, this is a huge break from tradition.

Now business experts across the political spectrum are worried that the United States is starting to look more like China.