President Donald Trump said Monday that he met with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, just days after publicly calling for Tan’s resignation. The meeting, also attended by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, took place at the White House. Trump described the discussion as “very interesting” and praised Tan’s career journey, adding that members of his cabinet would continue conversations with Tan and bring recommendations to him in the coming week. Intel confirmed the meeting, noting it focused on the company’s commitment to strengthening U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership.
Tan, who became Intel’s CEO in March after serving on its board since 2022, replaced Pat Gelsinger at a time when the company was struggling to gain traction in artificial intelligence while investing heavily in its chip foundry business. Just last week, Trump accused Tan of being “highly CONFLICTED” and demanded his resignation, echoing concerns raised by Sen. Tom Cotton over Tan’s past business ties to China and previous leadership at Cadence Design. In response, Intel defended Tan and reaffirmed its dedication to U.S. national and economic security interests.
Semiconductor Policy in Focus
The meeting reflects the Trump administration’s active involvement in the semiconductor sector as part of its broader strategy to compete with China in AI and advanced technology. Over the weekend, Nvidia agreed to pay the U.S. government 15% of its sales to China in exchange for export control licenses for its H20 chip. Trump said he initially sought a 20% cut but settled on 15% after negotiations with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Tan, 65, took over Intel during a period of financial strain and operational setbacks. In July, he acknowledged that turning the company around would take time, pointing to layoffs, cuts to the foundry division, and the cancellation of planned manufacturing sites in Germany and Poland. Development in Ohio is also being slowed. Born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, Tan moved to the United States for graduate studies at MIT and has built a decades-long career in the tech industry.
Author’s Opinion
Trump’s rapid shift from calling for Tan’s resignation to meeting with him at the White House shows how quickly political and business dynamics can change when national tech priorities are at stake. While the meeting sends a message of cooperation, it also underscores how semiconductor policy is increasingly shaped by direct negotiations between government leaders and corporate executives — where leverage, not just ideology, often determines the outcome.
Featured image credit: Daniel Selfa via Unsplash
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