Trump: Intel CEO Must Resign Over Chinese Ties
The President said that there "is no other way" as the CEO is "highly conflicted."
President Donald Trump published a post today (Thursday) calling on the CEO of Intel to resign due to his deep ties to the Chinese communist government, which could endanger American national security:
"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!"
The story began two days ago, when Republican Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter to Frank Yeary, Chairman of Intel's Board of Directors, warning them that their new CEO, Lip Bu-Tan, who reportedly "controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms. At least eight of these companies reportedly have ties to the Chinese People's Liberation Army."
According to Cotton, these relationships are not merely theoretical or circumstantial, and Bu-Tan has at least once been caught selling an advanced chip design to a Chinese military university, something he confessed to last week.
As such, Cotton demanded that the board, in the interests of national security, answer questions as to whether they were aware of Bu-Tan's ties to a rival power's institutions and his illegal actions in support of the same, as well as whether he has any other business connections which could endanger American national security.
Cotton reminded the board that Intel recently received an $8 billion grant as part of the CHIPS act, "the largest grant to a single company." He said that any recipient of such a grant must act as "responsible stewards" of American taxpayer money and avoid any conflicts of interest which could endanger American national security.
Senator Rick Scott of Florida also said on X that "President Trump is right, Intel owes American taxpayers answers TODAY. Intel accepted tax dollars from the CHIPS Act, and instead of investing in America, they cut jobs in the U.S. and hired a CEO with a cozy relationship to the CCP. The CHIPS Act was intended to benefit America, not our adversaries. Intel should return every dime of this taxpayer funding IMMEDIATELY!"