Bernie Sanders wants the government to take shares of AI companies. Evidently, President Trump does too, as does Sam Altman.

Sanders wants the public to have a say in the development of AI — as usual, a good goal and a bad plan. Trump likes the idea of getting his hands around something powerful and influential. Why does Altman want it? Why does he want to give away shares to the government?

The reason is plain and predictable, and was illustrated just a few days before Sanders’s pitch when ProPublica released a report showing that “The White House Intervened to Get a $620 Million Deal for a Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr.” When this President has an interest in a company’s success, illegal favors follow, and Altman would like OpenAI to be on the receiving end alongside Trump Jr. When the government has a literal vested interest in OpenAI’s success, what will that mean for winning government contracts? For favorable regulation? For avoiding enforcement actions?

What will it mean for American competitiveness if we give today’s winners favors that strangle the ones that could have beat them tomorrow?

Nationalizing companies is a bad idea. It’s a lesson we’ve known for generations. Sanders has been around long enough to know that, and this administration has only made it more obvious.

What’s more interesting is how the logic of Trump’s corruption is taking root. A year ago, the administration was bullying companies with tariffs and lawsuits and other pressure tactics to get them to bend. A few months later, CEOs learned the game and started buttering him up and agreeing to his terms. Now, a prominent CEO is proactively offering tribute; better to volunteer it now and at least be first, before it is demanded of everyone.

It will take generations to clear out this rot.