Trump Calls For Intel CEO's Head Over Alleged China Links

US President Donald Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Intel's recently installed chief exec, following concerns raised by a Republican Senator over his links with China.

The wannabe emperor of America posted the demand on his Truth Social network:

"The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!"

This comes in the wake of a letter, dated August 6, sent by Senator Tom Cotton that questioned Intel's security and integrity following Intel CEO Lip Bu Tan's appointment in March, just over three months after Pat Gelsinger departed.

Representing Arkansas, Senator Cotton wrote to the chair of Intel's board of directors, expressing concern over Tan's investments and connections with semiconductor firms said to be linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army.

In the letter, Senator Cotton claims that Tan controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of advanced manufacturing businesses in the country. At least eight of these have ties to the Chinese military, he adds, raising concerns about the integrity of Intel's operations and its possible effect on US national security.

"Intel was awarded nearly $8 billion from the CHIPS and Science Act, the largest grant to a single company. Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations. Mr. Tan's associations raise questions about Intel's ability to fulfil these obligations," the letter states.

Meanwhile, Intel was also awarded a separate $3 billion last year for the Secure Enclave program, intended to create a trusted supply chain of chips needed by the US military.

Senator Cotton also drew attention to electronic design automation (EDA) developer Cadence, which last month pleaded guilty to and was fined for unlawfully selling its products to Chinese organizations with military connections, despite these being on a US government blacklist. The offenses occurred while Tan was employed as CEO at Cadence.

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The letter queries whether Intel's board was aware of the Cadence export violations before the decision was made to hire Tan as its leader in March, and if any measures were taken to address concerns about those activities.

It also asks whether the board required Tan to divest from any positions in semiconductor businesses linked with the Chinese government, and whether he has disclosed any remaining investments, professional roles, or other Chinese ties to the US government.

America has been seeking for many years to prevent Beijing and its military from gaining access to advanced technology, including the tools and expertise to make cutting-edge chips, so Senator Cotton's questions are perhaps not surprising.

Some of the senator's letter's claims [PDF] were based on a 2024 Reuters report talking about Tan's investments. That same report notes that it is not illegal for US citizens to hold stakes in Chinese companies – and this includes even those with ties to the Chinese military – if these companies are not listed on the US Treasury's Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List. None of those it found were on the list at the time. A Select Committee report [PDF] released in early 2024 on American VC investments in China shows that several US tech companies had holdings in the country at that time.

Intel has continued to invest in China despite the mood of America's leaders. Intel Capital is said to be one of the most prolific foreign investors into AI and silicon startups in China, for example, and the chipmaker also opened up an innovation hub in the city of Shenzhen, despite Washington's increasingly strict sanctions.

Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ®