U.S. Senator Sanders favors Trump plan to take stake in Intel

WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Liberal U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday threw his support behind Republican President Donald Trump's plan to convert up to $10.9 billion in U.S. grants for Intel into a government stake in the company.

"If microchip companies make a profit from the generous grants they receive from the federal government, the taxpayers of America have a right to a reasonable return on that investment," Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement to Reuters.