Trump wants Intel CEO out: Meet the chip industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan who is under US President's radar

US President Donald Trump Thursday called for the for the immediate resignation of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, citing alleged ties to China that he claimed pose a national security risk. “The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The President's remarks come amid heightened scrutiny from Republican lawmakers, including Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who earlier this week raised alarm over Tan’s reported financial involvement in Chinese companies. In a letter addressed to Intel board Chair Frank Yeary, Cotton cited an April Reuters report that disclosed Tan's personal and venture fund investments in hundreds of Chinese companies — including several with reported ties to the Chinese military.

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US Senator Tom Cotton also sought clarification on a recent criminal case involving Bu Tan’s former company, Cadence Design. According to a report, Cotton expressed “concern about the security and integrity of Intel's operations and its potential impact on US national security.”

"Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations. Mr. Tan's associations raise questions about Intel's ability to fulfill these obligations," Cotton reportedly wrote.

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Who is Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan?

Intel named Lip-Bu Tan its new CEO in March this year, who succeeded Pat Gelsinger. Lip-Bu Tan, a Malaysian-born executive, grew up in Singapore, where he studied physics at Nanyang University. He then pursued a master's degree in nuclear engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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After gaining experience in venture investing, Tan joined the Cadence board in 2004 and then went on to become co-CEO in 2008 following Michael Fister's departure and assumed sole CEO responsibilities in 2009.

Tan led Cadence for over a decade before transitioning to the role of chairman, a position he held until 2023. Tan is an accomplished executive with more than two decades of semiconductor and software experience and deep relationships across the technology ecosystem.

He has received several accolades for his significant contributions to the industry, including the 2022 Robert N. Noyce Award, the Semiconductor Industry Association’s highest honor, and was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Venture Capitalists, according to an official statement.

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Tan previously served as chief executive officer of Cadence Design Systems Inc. and was also a member of its board of directors.

During his 12 years as Cadence’s chief executive officer, he led a reinvention of the company and drove a cultural transformation centered on customer-centric innovation that enabled Cadence to more than double its revenue, expand operating margins and significantly outperform the market.

Tan is a founding managing partner of Walden Catalyst Ventures and chairman of Walden International, a leading venture capital firm. He has also served on the boards of public companies Credo Technology Group and Schneider Electric.