back to article Trump calls for Intel CEO's head over alleged China links

US President Donald Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Intel's recently installed chief exec, following concerns raised by a Republican Senator over his links with China. The wannabe emperor of America posted the demand on his Truth Social network: "The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, …

  1. Mishak Silver badge

    POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

    There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!

    1. LVPC Bronze badge

      Re: POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

      He's not conflicted. Just dementia reading its ugly head. Along with "sundowning" (people with various types of dementia doing demented things in the middle of the night instead of sleeping).

      Ironic, a guy who's gone bankrupt so many times trying to give business advice to anyone. Only in Amerikkka.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

        Orange! O despair! O enemy old age! Have I lived so long only for this infamy?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

        Dementia on top of megalomania, narcissism, gay hate, involvement with Epstein, being pussy-grabber, bad businessman, bully and racism.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

        Isn’t it time for him to report to the euthanasia center, like in “Soylent Green”?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: POTUS is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately.

      This sounds like a completely manufactured reason to bin off Intels CHIPS Act money.

      Same as other contracts like weaselled on already funded Solar, Wind And EV charging….

  2. smudge
    WTF?

    Who?

    For those of us who don't follow the industry so closely, it would have been useful to tell us a little more about the man's background, instead of abruptly introducing him simply as "Tan" in the fourth paragraph.

    1. Paul Herber Silver badge

      Re: Who?

      Tan? Maybe they should ask him to nail his colours to the mast.

      1. Anonymous Custard Silver badge
        Headmaster

        Re: Who?

        Lip-Bu Tan to give him his full name.

        Although that page does seem to be a little out of date, as it doesn't include his current position as CEO.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Who?

          It does say he is CEO of Intel, and did so when you posted, so I'm not sure why you'd claim that?

          1. Anonymous Custard Silver badge

            Re: Who?

            I'd looked in "Boards and memberships" and missed the line just above it.

            You are correct though that it does say that - my mistake.

            But the original question was about his history anyway, which is in there.

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Alert

      Re: Who?

      (from article)

      Cadence [snip] last month pleaded guilty to and was fined for unlawfully selling its products to Chinese organizations with military connections, despite these being on a US government blacklist. The offenses occurred while Tan was employed as CEO at Cadence.

      THIS raised my eyebrows a bit... seems fishy to me. Hopefully will resolve quickly, but then again AMD might be a better choice in the long haul, for Fed grant money (if such a thing continues).

  3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    I suppose having conflicts of interest as a speciality Trump is particularly expert at spotting them.

    1. Jamie Jones Silver badge
      Happy

      You can't win!

      There you go, praising Trump and calling him an expert, and the 2 usual MAGA muppets still downvote you!

      1. Casca Silver badge

        14 muppets now.

        1. Irongut Silver badge

          Enough for a show! Unfortunately Fozzie would be funnier.

        2. Jamie Jones Silver badge
          Happy

          I think they've brought in the orange troops!

  4. wolfetone Silver badge

    The Mango Mussolini will do anything, ANYTHING, but release those Epstein files.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The xenophobia is strong in that one

    If I were an ethnically Chinese tall poppy in the US I would be thinking carefully about my future in the land of the free if the current loonycratic theatre looks to become embedded is the US body politic which it does (vide Texas.)

    As if Intel doesn't have troubles enough without this nonsense.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

      Being any shade other than white or orange seems increasingly hazardous.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

        That's clearly proven more controversial than I expected. But let's consider the IT angle:

        • Green & White: typical liberal environmentalists trashing the American oil industry.

        • Blue & White: you do know the Smurfs were COMMUNISTS?

        • Brown & White: need I say more?

        What's left to represent all that America stands for?

    2. IGotOut Silver badge

      Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

      Let's facing it, the USA has ALWAYS had an issue with the "Yellow Peril".

      1. ChrisElvidge Silver badge

        Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

        I remember the days when the "yellow peril" was Nippon.

    3. sanmigueelbeer Silver badge
      Coat

      Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

      Coming soon to the next social media post: Chinese-owned &/or Chinese-run Falafel/Kebab shop in the US of A are fronts for the Chinese Communist Party &/or Iranian Republican Guards' Qud Force.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The xenophobia is strong in that one

      Perhaps he’s done a side deal to push them to bankruptcy so they can be ripped apart by the hyenas, vultures and Private Equity that are circling.

  6. abend0c4 Silver badge

    There were rumours a couple of days back that Trump was keen for TSMC to buy 49% of Intel. It's all got very murky. The defenders of the "free market" seem to have been rather quiet, but I'm sure they will vociferously be telling the US government to get off their corporate turf any moment now.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It seems to me that Trump is interfering in stockmarkets with potentially price-changing suggestions. Surely there are rules about that kind of thing?

      1. may_i Silver badge

        To which the mad orange king will reply "Rules? I make the rules!"

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          I am the Law and the Outlaw

          Pardon myself I rise above the Law

          Lady Justice can eat my shorts

          As I LegiJudiExecutate and extort!

    2. Paul Herber Silver badge
      Black Helicopters

      What's more important - freedom or money?

      1. shodanbo

        "Freedom Money" (Bitcoin)

        /sarcasm

      2. JWLong Silver badge

        What's more important

        Free Money!

    3. Wang Cores Silver badge

      merchants have no country.

      If anyone actually believes businessmen are sincere about any sort of principle you're a fool.

      They said the same thing when they moved all industry to China in the 80s-90s.

      "China is democratizing! Look at line go up!!"

      Then they pulled a stupid face when IP rights weren't respected, and now they're all on the democracy and rah rah America train until "pro-business" figures like Trump show up to dismantle any sort of representation for the wage-worker that make up America even when it's detrimental to their own business.

      Suddenly they can't wait to give him money personally even as he's tanking their valuations on the Holy Free Market.

      Almost as if these aren't serious people just vapid aristocrats.

  7. Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck

    It's only fair - millions upon millions of people want Drumpf's head!

  8. martinusher Silver badge

    Making American Something or Another

    The problem with CEOs like Lip-Bu Tan is that they have to live in the real world. We might disagree with individuals about the nature and purpose of that real world but the basic idea that they live in a world where hard information drives decisions. Our present Federal government lives in a Looking Glass world where decisions drive information -- they define reality and adjust information to match that definition. (This isn't a new phenomenon -- it was articulated at a press briefing back during the Bush 2 administration.) The result is this well known "DC Bubble" -- a distorted reality where their vision of America doesn't match actual reality. This is at the core of MAGA -- we're trying to force feed the definition of a Great America onto not just the entire country but the entire world.

    The only way this will end is destructively. In a best case scenario MAGA has a meltdown and common sense prevails. I'm not that optimistic myself because there's an ample supply of Sen. Cottons and their younger, more vociferous (and often completely crazy) analogs. Fortunately being retired, living in California etc. means that I personally am on the periphery of this madness -- I don't need a job, our state is actively pushing back, the weather's better than average and we've got a mountain range between us and them. But things are getting rough and are likely to get a lot rougher.

    (But you're all right in the UK -- I hear that "Everything's just fine!")

  9. Tron Silver badge

    Putin to sue Trump...

    ...for cultural appropriation.

  10. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    No worries

    No worries about getting advanced chip tech from Intel. They don't have any to give up.

  11. joe80x86

    The Wallstreet Journal has a similar article with more information in it. According to it the previous company he was the CEO of has settled with the DOJ after illegally transfering high tech data to a Chinese university. I think there is reason for concern.

    1. Irongut Silver badge

      Yes this was mentioned in the article. "the previous company he was the CEO of" was called Cadence and they are mentioned several times.

      So no more information in the WSJ if you read the article.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Yet Another Diversion.

    Release the Epstein files, Donald.

    1. bombastic bob Silver badge
      IT Angle

      Re: Yet Another Diversion.

      Her will release no slime, until it is time! (adapted from an old wine commercial)

      Seriously DOJ F'd up by hyping it too much. There has been at least one firing since, former FBI director Comey's daughter who had run that investigation for YEARS (apparently). But speculate all you want, this slimy rotting sewer muck investigation WILL see the light of day once victim names and possible underage offenders have been redacted and fully investigated. Really.

  13. Greedy_Soap

    Let's stop take advantage of the USA

    Most Americans hate anyone who takes advantage of the USA, my solution:

    I will buy non-USA product whenever possible even I have to pay more, see I am so pro-USA I will buy

    the products from other country. Now China stop take advantage of the US by stop buying US sourced agriculture products, so many MAGA famers feel so happy, so they decide to take their lives by committing suicide. Wonderful riddance! Win-win!

    1. Bluck Mutter

      Finally eradicated my last US product

      After decades of drinking the stuff, I finally gave up Diet Coke...sure the lose of my custom wont bankrupt Coke (the corporation) but the moral imperative was too strong not to give it up.

      And as a political animal it is, from a purely academic perspective, fascinating to watch what happened in Nazi Germany happen in real time during my lifetime

      Of course fascism has happened many times in other countries during my lifetime but those countries typically had a history of falling under the spell of dictators but this one is different... the supposed most amazing democracy in the world with all it's check and balances, separation of power etc, falling into a fascist state inside of 6 months is unique in recent modern history.

      My hope is that the US sinks without trace such that it becomes a searing, highly visible example to all future voters as to whom you shouldn't allow into power.

      But given how stupid and gullible people are today (due to social media) I think my hope wont be realized.

      Bluck

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Finally eradicated my last US product

        Nobody learns from the example of foreign countries. Let's park Trump term 1, the US electors could have noticed the chaos in Britain in recent years, where a fat, philandering fuckwit with silly hair was elected prime minister and sought to become king of the world. And then of course his misgovernance and poor leadership caused immense damage whose effects linger on. Both seemed to have their top two interests as money and skirt, the only appreciable differences are that the British version isn't orange, and was more interested in skirt than money, whereas Trump is more interested in money.

        Voters are shallow, inattentive whingers, so it's unsurprising that they'll pay more attention to which celeb is reportedly screwing which other vacuous celeb. But you might have hoped that an organised political party would learn something? But no. The Republican party haven't observed the self-immolation of the UK Conservative Party largely for this chaos, lack of probity, and refusal to hold their own leader to account. After another three and half years of the Republicans selling their souls to their orange god, the misgovernance will have caused obvious and lasting damage that even the electorate can't ignore, and the Repubs will be slaughtered at the polls.

  14. Grogan

    Fascism 101... dictator exerts control over business and industry.

  15. Gary Stewart Silver badge

    This goes back further than most people think

    When I began my career at Mostek (FYI inventor of the multiplexed address dynamic RAM) in 1976 the lead research scientist there was of Chinese heritage. At the same time the lead research scientist at Intel was too. Even at that time it struck me as odd. Now of course it could be they were just the best available, and there is evidence that this is true, or just coincidence which is also possible. I prefer the handkerchief tied hat version that they were Chinese plants myself /s. Signed Mr. Gumby(s).

    On another topic:

    There does seem to be an unusual number of down voters, am I missing something?

    1. Irongut Silver badge

      Re: This goes back further than most people think

      > There does seem to be an unusual number of down voters, am I missing something?

      That you're a racist twat?

      It does seem to be a common affliction in the comments today.

      1. bombastic bob Silver badge
        Meh

        Re: This goes back further than most people think

        pople throw about accusations of racism over the most petty things these days (like NOT being woke) that it does not even sting any more.

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Trollface

      Re: This goes back further than most people think

      I think down voting posts like yours is the equivalent of randomly throwing darts while partially intoxicated...

  16. StrangerHereMyself Silver badge

    Witch hunt

    Many of the tech CEOs in Silicon Valley are of Chinese origin (nVida, AMD, Intel) and many more ethnic Chinese are working as engineers there as well.

    But I do understand the Administration's concerns about Tan since he was the CEO at Cadence when they sold highly sought after software to Chinese semiconductor companies when they shouldn't have. This software could be used to help China gain parity with the U.S. in the field which would eventually prop up its military capabilities. Which is the last thing you would want to do with a potential military adversary.

    I just hope this doesn't turn out into a witch hunt against ethnic Chinese Americans like it did with the Japanese during WWII.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Witch hunt

      But true patriotic American CEOs like Musk and Tim Apple wouldn't have any dealings with China.

      It's only heads of companies that I'm currently shorting having Chinese spies as CEOs, like Nvidia with that Hells Angel leather jacket wearer in charge.

      1. StrangerHereMyself Silver badge

        Re: Witch hunt

        Mobile phones and electric cars aren't propping up China's military capabilities. Cadence's semiconductor design software might and that's therefore a lot more serious.

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Witch hunt

      I just hope this doesn't turn out into a witch hunt against ethnic Chinese Americans like it did with the Japanese during WWII.

      AGREED. (legal) Immigrants are most often SO happy to be in their new country that they become model citizens AND work their ASSES OFF to leverage new opportunities.

      A handful retain loyalty and ties to "the old country" but they're easy to spot. Ilhan Omar is one of them.

      I do not think Mr. Tan's Chinese heritage drove him to skirt the law. I think it enabled him to make and keep overseas business contacts. It is what he has apparently DONE with those contacts (as you and the article pointed out) that raises both eyebrows and concern...

  17. luis river

    Conclusion: today fired out CEO Mr. Tan (chinese connection) but I seem too much dangerous CEO A. Neri (the italian guy, nostra cosa connection) HA !!

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The wannabe emperor of America

    "The wannabe emperor of America"

    That may be true but I don't think it's isolated to Trump.

  19. SundogUK Silver badge

    CCP Out in force today.

    Do not trust China. China is asshole.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: CCP Out in force today.

      Proof that doggies are experts in sniffing out assholes?

  20. AnonymousCward
    Facepalm

    We have bigger problems

    Just about every computer is made in China to some degree or another, and by extension, uses Chinese firmware of one form or another, inside (even if it’s very basic ROM to initialise it). This basic fact of life hasn’t given me too much pause, and let’s be fair, we haven’t always had creature comforts like IOMMUs to isolate components.

    Might I also remind everyone that but a few weeks ago, we discovered Microsoft was offshoring maintenance of their cloud services to China, and when all was said and done, changes were only being made for DoD/Government customers, not everybody else, therefore, it’s clearly not that much of a real-world problem having deep ties with China, or something would have been done about that too. Or maybe it is a big deal but Washington doesn’t want to wipe major value off the stock market in the name of protecting us plebs! Who knows?

    For the more paranoid among us, yes, I get that Intel Management Engine is a very iffy black box from a user perspective which could potentially be leveraged as a backdoor by a rogue nation state. However, if that is a concern, surely Intel’s ties to the Stuxnet slinger, a state which also has no qualms about weaponising hardware to murder civilians en-masse, is a much bigger worry. Especially so since the West seems poised to potentially make a land recognition decision said loose cannon of a state will very much not approve of. Just a thought…

  21. Jonjonz

    Yet Nvidia gets a free pass.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Jensen had a private dinner with Trump and now they can export the H20 to china again

      I assume Jensen is a really good cook - you've seen the awesome cooker he has on the launch videos

  22. Mitoo Bobsworth Silver badge
    Trollface

    Let Trump have his way

    By 2040 America will be off the grid, living in caves & discovering fire again, which makes it much less of a threat & way easier to monitor. Oh, and the silence will be wonderful!

  23. Empire of the Pussycat

    Fake tan vs. Tan

    I reckon Tan could take him down.

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