President Trump demands Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan resign over China investment concerns

President Donald Trump has publicly called for the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, accusing him of having conflicting interests due to his investments in Chinese companies linked to the Chinese military. This demand is extraordinarily rare as presidents seldom call for corporate executives to step down. Tan, appointed in March to revitalize Intel amidst its struggle to keep up with China and other chip competitors, has a background as a Malaysian-born naturalized US citizen and a venture capitalist with extensive semiconductor experience. Trump’s criticism follows Republican Senator Tom Cotton’s letter to Intel’s board expressing concerns about Tan’s ability to safeguard US national security given his ties to Chinese firms and a legal issue tied to Tan’s previous company, Cadence Design Systems, which pleaded guilty to violating US export controls. Intel defended Tan, stating he and the company are committed to US national security. Tan recently announced scaling back manufacturing investments to align with customer demand, amid ongoing layoffs at Intel. The situation has increased scrutiny on Intel’s leadership at a critical juncture as the company relies heavily on billions in government support for domestic chip production. The White House reaffirmed its commitment to national and economic security, emphasizing the importance of trusted leadership in strategic American companies. Intel’s stock dropped notably after Trump’s statement, reflecting investor concern over the controversy.