As US president Donald Trump calls for his head, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has declared his commitment to the company and the country.
President Trump yesterday posted this message on his Truth Social platform: “The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem.”
The post is a possible reference to alleged investments in companies that are tied to the Chinese military.
Tan was born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore. He is a naturalised US citizen who has made the US his home for the last four decades.
A venture capitalist with expertise in the semiconductor industry, he was appointed to the Intel top job in March to turn the chip-maker around.
Yesterday (7 August 2025), Tan penned the message to Intel employees:
Dear Team,
I know there has been a lot in the news today, and I want to take a moment to address it directly with you.
Let me start by saying this: The US 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. This industry has given me so much, our company has played such a pivotal role, and it’s the honor of my career to work with you all to restore Intel’s strength and create the innovations of the future. Intel’s success is essential to US technology and manufacturing leadership, national security, and economic strength. This is what fuels our business around the world. It’s what motivated me to join this team, and it’s what drives me every day to advance the important work we’re doing together to build a stronger future.
There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about my past roles at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems. I want to be absolutely clear: 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.
We are engaging with the Administration to address the matters that have been raised and ensure they have the facts. I fully share the President’s commitment to advancing US national and economic security, I appreciate his leadership to advance these priorities, and I’m proud to lead a company that is so central to these goals.
The Board is fully supportive of the work we are doing to transform our company, innovate for our customers, and execute with discipline – and we are making progress. It’s especially exciting to see us ramping toward high-volume manufacturing using the most advanced semiconductor process technology in the country later this year. It will be a major milestone that’s a testament to your work and the important role Intel plays in the US technology ecosystem.
Looking ahead, our mission is clear, and our opportunity is enormous. I’m proud to be on this journey with you.
Thank you for everything you’re doing to strengthen our company for the future.