August 11, 2025 | 12:33 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Intel's Chief Executive Officer, Lip-Bu Tan, finally responded to President Donald Trump's demand for his resignation. Tan addressed this issue in an internal memo to Intel employees.
Tan admitted to always conducting himself as a leader in accordance with the highest legal and ethical standards, and he rejected allegations of conflicts of interest. "The United States has been my home for more than 40 years. I love this country and am profoundly grateful for the opportunities it has given me," he wrote, according to Intel's official website.
He also emphasized that much of the information circulating regarding investments in China is misinformation. The Johor Bahru, Malaysia, native expressed his full commitment to the national security of the United States. According to Tan, Intel will continue to work with the government to clarify the facts.
In a statement, Intel said that the company and the CEO remain committed to strengthening national security and economic prosperity in the United States. "Intel has been manufacturing in America for 56 years. We are continuing to invest billions of dollars in domestic semiconductor R&D and manufacturing," wrote Intel management.
Despite the board of directors' full support for Tan's transformation efforts, pressure from the White House, Congress, and investors has made his position increasingly difficult. The Wall Street Journal reported that some of Tan's initiatives, including the acquisition plan for artificial intelligence (AI) companies and fundraising, were stalled due to differing views within the board.
Considering that Intel is the largest recipient of subsidies from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, with funds reaching $8 billion to expand chip factories in the U.S., this controversy has become more sensitive. This policy aligns with Trump's "America First" agenda, which aims to reduce dependence on foreign products, particularly those from China.
On August 7, 2025, Trump called for Tan to resign. Trump made the request through Truth Social. This immediately caused Intel's stock to plummet due to investor concerns about the technology company's leadership.
Trump stated, "The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention!" Trump wrote on his social media account.
Trump's call came a day after Republican Senator Tom Cotton sent an official letter to Intel's board of directors questioning Tan's business relationships with Chinese technology companies, some of which are suspected to have connections with the country's military.
According to The Times of India, Tan invested nearly $200 million in hundreds of Chinese technology companies between March 2012 and December 2024. At least eight of these companies are reported to have direct ties to the People's Liberation Army of China.
These investments were made through the venture capital firm Walden International. Some of Walden International's portfolios are the result of cooperation with Chinese government funds in technology cities such as Hangzhou, Hefei, and Wuxi.
Additionally, public attention has turned to Tan's tenure as CEO of Cadence Design Systems. According to Al Jazeera, the company pleaded guilty in July 2025 to violating technology export regulations to military universities in China and agreed to pay a fine of over $140 million.
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