Trump isn’t playing anymore games.
President Donald Trump has issued a blistering call for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign immediately, warning that the tech executive’s deep financial links to Communist China and a past criminal probe could put America’s national security at risk.
“Intel’s CEO has a serious conflict of interest and should step down without delay. There’s no other way to fix this situation,” Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social, adding, “I appreciate your attention to this matter!”
Trump’s demand follows a hard-hitting letter from Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) to Intel’s board chairman, sounding the alarm over Tan’s investments in Chinese semiconductor companies, some with direct ties to China’s military and the ruling Communist Party. Cotton warned these links could compromise U.S. defense technology at a time when the nation is in a high-stakes tech race with Beijing.
According to a Reuters report, Cotton’s letter questioned whether Intel’s board was aware of federal subpoenas sent to Cadence Design Systems — Tan’s former company — before hiring him. He also pressed whether Tan had been forced to divest from Chinese firms and fully disclose any other ties to Beijing-connected businesses, especially given Intel’s role in the Secure Enclave program, a critical effort to strengthen America’s domestic chip supply for military use.
The concerns are staggering. Just weeks after Tan’s appointment in March, reports surfaced that he — directly or through his investment funds — had poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Chinese tech and manufacturing firms from 2012 to 2024. Many of those companies have known links to the People’s Liberation Army and Communist Party leadership.
While a source later claimed Tan divested his holdings, no public verification has been provided. Intel maintains that both the company and its CEO are “deeply committed” to U.S. national security and will respond to Cotton directly.
Tan’s résumé is impressive — he led Cadence Design Systems from 2009 to 2021, doubling revenues and boosting stock value by more than 3,200%. But his appointment to lead Intel comes at a time when the chip giant is locked in fierce competition with Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., all while struggling to complete a four-year turnaround plan stalled by the abrupt resignation of CEO Pat Gelsinger in December 2024.
Trump’s statement signals that Intel’s leadership crisis could escalate — and that Washington is watching closely. As the U.S. battles to stay ahead in the global tech war with China, the future of Intel’s top executive may hang in the balance.
