Because this clears the way to sell Intel Foundry and separate the chip design from the chip-manufacturing businesses completely.

The CHiPs act money had claw-backs such that if Intel sold the Foundry off they had to pay the government all the money back. This new deal waives all the clawbacks and says instead the Government gets warrants, good for five years, for 5% of the company at $20/share, good once they control less than 51% of the Foundry.

Ergo, the reason for the deal is that the board wants to sell off the Foundry, and didn't want to pay back the CHiPS act money.

Good context, thanks. If it’s likely that the Foundry will be sold off, do you view the extra 5% as a short-term profit and not really a geopolitical/strategic protection?

Seems the Foundry is the bit that USG really is trying to backstop.