US President Donald Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, accusing him of having “problematic” ties to China. In a social media post, he claimed the Malaysian-born, Singapore-raised executive was “highly conflicted”, apparently referring to his reported investments in Chinese firms linked to the country’s military.
Tan, a veteran venture capitalist and former head of Cadence Design Systems, took over Intel in March with a mandate to reverse the chipmaker’s decline against rivals. The company has received billions of dollars in federal support to boost domestic chip production under Trump’s manufacturing push.
Tan recently told investors that Intel would scale back manufacturing investments, including in the US, to align with customer demand. The company has already laid off thousands of workers this year in a cost-cutting drive aimed at “right-sizing” its operations.
The president’s criticism echoed concerns raised earlier this week by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who questioned Tan’s suitability to lead a firm heavily funded by US taxpayers. Cotton cited Cadence’s 2024 guilty plea and $140 million (~RM592 million) settlement over allegations that a Chinese subsidiary had illegally supplied technology to China’s National University of Defense Technology, in breach of export controls.
Tan himself was not personally charged. In response, Intel defended its CEO, saying he and the company were committed to safeguarding US national security and maintaining the integrity of their role in the defence sector. The company stressed that it was making substantial US investments in line with the administration’s “America First agenda” and that both Tan and the board remained committed to advancing US national and economic security.
Intel’s shares fell over 3% by midday following Trump’s remarks. The White House defended the president’s comments, telling the BBC that Trump was committed to protecting US national and economic security, including ensuring that major American technology firms are “led by men and women who Americans can trust.”
