Chiang Ying-ying/Associated Press
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan directly addressed employees on Thursday after President Donald Trump demanded his resignation over national security concerns — and said he has the full support of the board.
In a companywide email, published on Intel’s blog Thursday, Tan defended his integrity and reaffirmed his commitment to leading the largest US chipmaker through a critical transformation.
“The United States has been my home for more than 40 years,” Tan wrote. “Leading Intel at this critical moment is not just a job — it’s a privilege.”
Tan’s statement follows a storm of political pressure.
Trump’s attack, posted on Truth Social Thursday, came two days after GOP Sen. Tom Cotton flagged Tan’s prior investments in Chinese companies and his previous leadership at Cadence Design Systems, which recently pleaded guilty to unlawfully selling its tech to a blacklisted military university in China.
Tan denied any wrongdoing and said that he has always operated “within the highest legal and ethical standards.”
In his message, Tan positioned Intel as vital to US economic and national security, highlighting the company’s progress toward high-volume manufacturing of advanced semiconductors on American soil later this year — a milestone he called “a testament” to his employees’ work.
He added that Intel is working with the Trump administration to “ensure they have the facts.”
Intel stock fell over 3% Thursday. Crisis communication experts told Business Insider that remaining silent would have been “potentially fatal” for Intel.
“Our mission is clear,” Tan concluded in his letter. “I’m proud to be on this journey with you.”
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