Trump calls Intel boss lip-dubble to resign for alleged porcelain links

President Donald Trump called on the head of the American chip manufacturer Intel to resign “immediately”, accusing him of having problematic links with China.

In an article on social networks, Trump said that Lip-Bu Tan was “very conflicting”, apparently referring to his alleged investments in companies which, according to the United States, are linked to the Chinese army. It is unusual that a president demands the resignation of a business manager.

Mr. Tan was appointed in March to overthrow the technology giant, a pioneer from the American flea industry who recently lagged behind the competitors.

He received billions of dollars from the United States government in the context of reconstruction efforts of the manufacturing industry of American semiconductors.

In a statement on Thursday, Intel said it was investing significant investments in the United States aligned with Trump’s “First Agenda America”.

“Intel, the Board of Directors and the Lip Tan are deeply determined to advance American national and economic interests,” he said, adding: “We are impatiently awaiting our continuous commitment to the administration.”

A naturalized American citizen born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, Mr. Tan is a well-known venture capital for his expertise in the semiconductor industry.

In a recent update of investors, he said that the company would reduce its investments in manufacturing, including in the United States, to match customer demand.

Intel has already removed thousands of jobs this year as part of an effort for “right size” the company.

Intel shares have dropped by more than 3% by noon after Trump’s attack, which has already criticized the company and is preparing to increase prices on the flea industry.

“Intel CEO is very conflict and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem,” Trump wrote.

It is not illegal for Americans to invest in Chinese companies.

But Washington has increased the restrictions since Trump’s first term, while it pushes the business ties between the United States and China with regard to advanced technologies, because Democrats and Republicans openly worry about national security.

Trump’s attack sparked concerns broadcast by Republican Senator Tom Cotton this week in a letter to the Board of Directors of Intel, which said that Mr. Tan’s associations raise questions about Intel’s capacity “to be a” manner-garde in American taxpayers and comply with applicable security regulations “.

Cotton highlighted the role of Mr. Tan as a long -standing managing director of the technological company CAPE Design Systems, which pleaded guilty in July and agreed to pay $ 140 million for the American accusations that its subsidiary in China had done on several occasions with the national defense technology of the country’s defense university, violating the American export controls.

Mr. Tan himself was not charged.

In a statement earlier this week, Intel defended its relatively new director general, saying that Mr. Tan and society were “deeply attached to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the American defense ecosystem”.

Industry expert Patrick Moorhead, founder of Moor Insights & Strategy, said that he was thinking that Trump was using the controversy on Mr. Tan’s ties to China to exert pressure on another problem.

He underlined the potential disputes over Intel’s investments in the United States and reports a possible partnership with the Taiwanese company TSMC supported by the White House.

“It is obvious to me that there have been negotiations between the two that Trump did not like,” he said. “Trump probably saw:” OK, I have the opportunity to get on fire with Intel on this “.”

Trump is known to target business leaders with public criticism to an unknown degree with other presidents. But, even according to his standards, the demand that the head of a private company resigning is extraordinary.

Moorhead said that other technology leaders who had found themselves in Trump’s reticle had found ways to “kiss the ring”, pointing promises such as Apple and Openai to make major investments in the United States.

“Intel has probably read the room badly on the importance of entering and being visible with the White House,” he said.

Responding to the criticisms who said Trump had gone too far, the White House told the BBC: “President Trump remains fully determined to protect the national and economic security of our country.

Mr. Tan’s links with China had been highlighted in a Congress report in 2024 examining the links between American investment companies and Chinese companies.

They also underwent a Reuters survey in April, which found that he had invested at least $ 200 in hundreds of Chinese companies, some of which are linked to the Chinese army. Investments were made personally or its funds between 2012 and December 2024.

Republican senator Bernie Moreno, an ally of Trump, took the attack on Mr. Tan on Thursday, criticizing Intel for delays in his plans for the manufacture of fleas in the United States.

But the confrontation with Trump could add to the challenges that the company, as well as the manufacture of American fleas, are currently faced.

“Intel was a hope for America to strengthen the capacity of fleas and had trouble doing it to date,” Janet Egan, principal researcher at the Center for a New American Security, told Janet Egan. “It is important that we obtain the continuity of leadership to support this increase in capacity.”