President Donald Trump and his economic team are working on a potentially record-breaking stock sale of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—the government-backed mortgage firms that support the stability and affordability of the U.S. housing market. While the plan hasn’t been finalized, a senior official says the White House is considering an initial public offering (IPO) of up to 15% of the companies’ shares, which could generate around $30 billion, potentially the largest IPO ever.
Trump has long considered taking the two firms public. His first administration attempted but failed to end their federal conservatorship, imposed during the 2008 financial crisis. Now, in his second term, Trump is revisiting the idea and has discussed it with top banking executives, including leaders at JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America.
Supporters argue Fannie and Freddie are financially strong enough to operate independently and believe privatization could help reduce national debt. Critics, however, warn it could destabilize the mortgage market and raise borrowing costs. Fannie and Freddie, which guarantee 70% of U.S. mortgages, don’t issue loans but buy them from lenders and repackage them for investors—key to maintaining accessible 30-year home loans.
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