Who Is Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan And Why Donald Trump Wants Him Out

US President Donald Trump has called for the "immediate resignation" of Intel CEO Lip-Bu-Tan, alleging a conflict of interest over his ties to China.

His statement was made in response to Mr Tan's previous associations with Chinese semiconductor companies and his links with the military.

"The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign immediately," Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social. "There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!" 

Who Is Lip-Bu-Tan?

Lip-Bu-Tan was born to a Chinese family on November 12, 1959, in Muar, Malaysia. Now an American citizen, he lives in Piedmont, California. His mother was a teacher; his father was the chief editor of Nanyang Siang Pau, a Chinese daily published in Malaysia.

After schooling, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Nanyang Technological University, as per his LinkedIn. Next, he pursued a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In May 2025, he earned a PhD in Science and Technology from Carnegie Mellon University.

Mr Tan founded Walden International, a venture capital company, in 1987. The firm invested heavily in Asian companies, particularly in Chinese semiconductor projects. He has served on the boards of major tech firms, including Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and SoftBank. Tan worked for over 15 years at Cadence Design Systems, holding prominent roles. 

In 2025, he joined Intel as Chief Executive Officer. According to Reuters, he has invested in hundreds of Chinese companies, some of which have ties to the country's military. This didn't go down well with the US President, who demanded his resignation over national security concerns.

Mr Tan is married to Ysa Loo and has two children. He is a Christian who follows Presbyterianism. Since the 1990s, he has also served as an elder (a senior leader who helps guide the church) at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley in California.