SoftBank invests more than 14 billion in Intel. People familiar with the matter: It has nothing to do with Trump and does not involve chip procurement.

SoftBank Group announced on Monday that it will inject US$2 billion (approximately 14.4 billion yuan) into US chip manufacturer Intel by taking a stake. Bloomberg stated that this unexpected transaction is intended to aid struggling Intel while promoting SoftBank’s own chip development ambitions.

Reuters pointed out that this equity investment provided a "lifeline" for Intel, the once iconic American chip manufacturer.

However, the deal also triggered associations. Bloomberg reported last week that the Trump administration was considering taking a stake in Intel. On Monday, Bloomberg reported again that the Trump administration was considering acquiring a 10% stake in Intel.

SoftBank's decision to invest in Intel had nothing to do with Trump, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Moreover, SoftBank will only invest in Intel and will neither seek a board seat nor commit to purchasing Intel chips.

SoftBank will purchase Intel common stock for $23 per share. That would make SoftBank Intel's sixth-largest shareholder, according to London Stock Exchange Group.

An Intel spokesperson said that SoftBank’s investment will be completed through the issuance of additional common shares by Intel. SoftBank will own just under 2% of the company based on Monday's closing market value.

"This strategic investment reflects our belief that U.S. advanced semiconductor manufacturing and supply will further expand, in which Intel will play a key role." SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said in a statement.

SoftBank shares fell more than 5% on Tuesday after the investment news was announced. Intel's stock price surged 5.6% in after-hours trading on U.S. stocks.

As of press time, SoftBank declined to disclose further details on Intel Capital. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.