On August 11, 2025, President Trump met with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan at the White House, just days after demanding his resignation over alleged ties to Chinese companies.
The meeting, described by Trump as “very interesting” on Truth Social, marked a shift from his earlier criticism, where he called Tan “highly CONFLICTED” due to past investments in China.
Trump noted that Tan’s “success and rise is an amazing story” and indicated further discussions with cabinet members would follow.
The meeting comes at a critical time for Intel, a struggling U.S. semiconductor manufacturer facing competition and operational challenges.
Tan, who took over as CEO in March after the ousting of Patrick Gelsinger, has announced layoffs and a focus on AI chips, PC chips, and manufacturing improvements.
Intel has received $8.5 billion from the CHIPS Act to build U.S. plants, but its difficulties have raised concerns about project completion, drawing scrutiny from Trump and Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Tan, a Malaysia-born U.S. citizen, previously led Cadence Design Systems, which recently pleaded guilty to exporting semiconductor design tools to a Chinese university, incurring $118 million in penalties.
This fueled criticism from Cotton and others about Tan’s China connections.
Intel stated that the meeting with Trump was a “candid and constructive discussion” focused on strengthening U.S. technology leadership, expressing optimism about working with the administration.
The intervention by Trump sparked debate, with critics like Gigi Sohn, former FCC official, calling it an overreach into corporate governance.
Tan responded to the scrutiny, affirming his 40-year U.S. residency and commitment to ethical leadership.
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