Intel CEO says firm engaging with Washington after Trump's call for resignation

ISTANBUL

US chipmaker Intel's CEO Lip-Bu Tan responded Thursday to the recent controversy and US President Donald Trump's call for his resignation over his alleged ties to Chinese companies with military connections, saying they are "engaging with the Administration to address the matters that have been raised and ensure they have the facts."

"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. I also love this company. Leading Intel at this critical moment is not just a job – it’s a privilege," Tan, a naturalized US citizen born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, said in a statement.

He said there has been "a lot of" misinformation circulating about his past tenures at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems.

"Over 40+ years in the industry, I’ve built relationships around the world and across our diverse ecosystem – and I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards. My reputation has been built on trust – on doing what I say I’ll do, and doing it the right way. This is the same way I am leading Intel," Tan said.

He added that he "fully" shares Trump's commitment to advancing US national and economic security.

On Thursday, Trump demanded that the CEO resign "immediately" over alleged ties to Chinese companies with military connections.

"The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "There is no other solution to this problem," he said.

Trump's demand followed concerns about Tan's reported investments in Chinese semiconductor firms allegedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and People's Liberation Army.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton raised similar concerns in a letter to Intel's board on Wednesday, questioning Tan's ability to fulfill obligations under US government grants like the CHIPS Act given his China connections.

Cotton said Tan, who became Intel CEO in March, controls dozens of Chinese companies and has stakes in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms, and at least eight companies allegedly have military ties.

Before joining Intel, Tan led Cadence Design Systems, which recently pleaded guilty to illegally selling export-controlled American technologies to entities connected to the Chinese military, the senator said in the letter.