Intel CEO visits White House amid pressure from Trump, Moreno to resign
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan visited the White House on Monday amid pressure from President Donald Trump and other Republican lawmakers to resign over alleged ties to China.
A spokesperson for Intel confirmed to NBC4 that Tan had a "candid and constructive" meeting discussing the company's commitment to "strengthening U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership."
"We appreciate the President's strong leadership to advance these critical priorities and look forward to working closely with him and his Administration as we restore this great American company," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Last week, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to Intel Chairman Frank Yeary expressing his concern over Tan's alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army. That led to a Truth Social post from Trump calling for Tan to resign. Watch previous coverage in the player above.
Intel’s massive Ohio One project to manufacture computer chips broke ground in New Albany in 2022, but its timeline for opening has been repeatedly delayed, from 2026 to now sometime in the next decade.
Moreno followed Trump’s lead hours later, posting on social media, “It’s pretty obvious that [Intel] has failed to meet the commitments it made to the people of Ohio. Now we find out its new CEO is deeply conflicted with ties to the CCP. The CEO must immediately resign, the project completed, and a fraud investigation should be initiated by Ohio.”
Ohio’s other Senator, Jon Husted, also a Republican, didn’t call for Tan to resign, but said that he spoke with Intel about Cotton’s concerns.
“They promised me they would respond promptly,” Husted wrote in a social media post. “The facts have not changed: We need an American company to make American chips on American soil. … We must be confident Intel is serving our national interests at every level of leadership.”
Husted was previously Ohio’s lieutenant governor and part of the effort to lure Intel to Ohio.
In 2022, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act to incentivize companies to manufacture semiconductor chips in the United States, leading to the New Albany project. Trump has been critical of the law, and he has argued that tariffs can be a tool to force companies to move their facilities to the United States.
Tan sent the following message to all employees on Thursday amid the calls for his resignation:
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 United States 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
Lip-Bu
The Associated Press contributed to this story.