WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is turning up the heat on Intel’s new chief executive, Lip-Bu Tan, demanding he step down “immediately” over alleged ties to Chinese companies — a move that has sent ripples through both the political and tech worlds.
The former president’s demand came just a day after Republican Senator Tom Cotton publicly raised national security concerns, claiming Tan’s connections to Chinese firms — some allegedly linked to the People’s Liberation Army — posed a serious risk.
“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem,” Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday.
In a letter posted to his website, Senator Cotton accused Tan of holding stakes in hundreds of Chinese manufacturing and semiconductor firms, including at least eight with reported links to China’s military.
Cotton also pointed to Tan’s tenure as head of Cadence Design Systems, claiming the company pleaded guilty to illegally selling products to a Chinese military university. He alleged that under Tan’s leadership, Cadence transferred technology to a related Chinese chipmaker without proper licenses.
These claims, Cotton said, raise red flags about Tan’s ability to lead a company central to U.S. technology and security interests.
Tan, who took over at Intel in March, fired back in a statement Thursday, calling the allegations “misinformation” about his past roles at Walden International and Cadence.
“Over 40+ years in the industry, I’ve built relationships around the world and across our diverse ecosystem,” Tan said. “And I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards.”
The Malaysia-born tech veteran, who has lived in the U.S. for more than four decades, stressed his gratitude to the country and aligned himself with Trump’s stated goal of strengthening American national and economic security.
“I’m proud to lead a company so central to these goals,” he added, noting that Intel is already engaging with the Trump administration to address the concerns raised.
Intel’s Uphill Battle
Tan inherited a struggling Intel — once Silicon Valley’s crown jewel but now overshadowed by Asian manufacturing giants TSMC and Samsung. The company has been hit by global chip competition, export restrictions, and the meteoric rise of Nvidia in the AI space.
Intel’s core focus on chips for traditional computing is steadily being eclipsed by the AI revolution, a challenge Tan himself has admitted “won’t be easy” to overcome. Since taking over, he has announced layoffs and restructuring in a bid to keep the company competitive.
For now, Trump’s ultimatum adds political pressure to a CEO already navigating intense market headwinds — and the outcome could shape both Intel’s future and the ongoing U.S.-China tech rivalry.
