Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan Responds to Trump’s Resignation Demands on China Conflicts

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has addressed recent calls for his resignation by Donald Trump, who accused him of being “highly conflicted.” According to The Financial Times, Tan issued a letter to Intel staff, stating, “There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about my past roles. I wanted to be absolutely clear… I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards.” He added that Intel is actively communicating with the White House to clarify the facts.

Trump’s demand for Tan’s resignation, posted on Truth Social, reportedly stemmed from a letter sent to Tan by Senator Tom Cotton, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Cotton’s letter raised concerns about Intel’s operational security and integrity, particularly highlighting Tan’s past business dealings in China. Tan has invested in Chinese tech companies, including SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.), China’s largest chip maker, through his own venture capital firm.

Further fueling the controversy, a company previously led by Tan recently admitted to violating US export controls. This company unlawfully exported semiconductor design tools to a restricted Chinese military university. The US Department of Justice announced that the company agreed to plead guilty and pay over $140 million in criminal penalties for these violations.

Tan took the helm at Intel during a challenging period, as the company’s foundry business struggled to compete with rivals like TSMC. Since his appointment, he has initiated a cost-cutting program and indicated that Intel might need to discontinue its next-gen manufacturing technology if it fails to secure a major customer. In his letter to staff, Tan confirmed that Intel’s board fully supports his efforts.

This incident is not an isolated one, as Trump has a history of intervening with major corporations, from Apple to Bank of America. Some pundits have characterized his actions as unusually interventionist for a Republican president, with MSNBC journalist Ari Melber noting that his administration has “done so much more than any modern administration” in terms of corporate interference.