Key Takeaways:
- Trump Puts Intel on Notice – President Trump called for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s resignation over alleged deep financial and business ties to Chinese companies, including those linked to the Chinese military.
- Senate Security Concerns – Sen. Tom Cotton pressed Intel’s board on whether they vetted Tan’s history, including subpoenas to his former company and potential conflicts of interest with China-linked investments.
- High-Stakes Meeting Ahead – Tan will visit the White House to address the concerns directly, as the administration signals zero tolerance for foreign influence in America’s critical semiconductor industry.
President Donald Trump is making it clear: America’s critical tech infrastructure won’t be led by anyone with questionable ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan is set to visit the White House on Monday after Trump publicly called for his resignation, citing national security concerns.
“Highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social last week, following reports that Tan had deep financial links to Chinese companies — including firms tied to the Chinese military.
Sen. Tom Cotton echoed the alarm, pressing Intel’s board on whether they knew about federal subpoenas to Tan’s former company, Cadence Design Systems, and if Tan had fully divested from Beijing-linked chip ventures.
He posted to X, “The new CEO of INTEL reportedly has deep ties to the Chinese Communists. U.S. companies who receive government grants should be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and adhere to strict security regulations.”
Cotton then called for the board of INTEL to give Congress an explanation.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Intel. Just last month, Cadence agreed to pay over $140 million in a plea deal for illegally selling chip design products to a Chinese military university involved in nuclear weapons simulation.
Trump’s America First stance on semiconductors is simple: U.S. innovation must be safeguarded, not shipped to foreign adversaries.
Tan, a Malaysian-born U.S. citizen appointed in March, will have to convince the White House he’s fully committed to American interests. In today’s high-stakes tech war, loyalty isn’t optional — it’s the job description.