Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan defended his integrity and vowed to continue leading the semiconductor company through a "critical moment."

On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump broke from the usual playbook with a blunt, high-stakes demand: Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan must resign immediately, branding him “highly conflicted.” Such public pressure on the head

He reminded Trump and his team that the U.S. manufactures less than 12% of the world’s semiconductors today, a steep fall from 37% in 1990. Every advanced military system depends on cutting-edge chips. Every artificial intelligence platform requires processors. Even basic infrastructure relies on semiconductors.

President Donald Trump on Aug. 7 called for Intel CEO Lip Bu Tan to resign, accusing him of being “highly conflicted” over reported investments in Chinese semiconductor firms. The remarks, expressed via a post on his Truth Social network,

Japanese investment giant SoftBank has announced a substantial US$2bn investment in Intel, the major American semiconductor company. This move marks a significant vote of confidence for Intel, which has faced scrutiny, including pressure from U.S. political figures calling for the resignation of its CEO.

A $2 billion investment represents a roughly 2% stake, ranking SoftBank the fifth-largest shareholder of Intel, while a reported 10% stake by the U.S. would be worth about $10.4 billion as of Monday’s share price.

The move could be seen as a vote of confidence for Intel, which has been playing catch-up in an industry that has chased the artificial intelligence boom.

The latest developments in the ongoing soap opera that is Intel sees the federal government considering purchasing a stake in the company in a bid to speed up completion of its delayed advanced fabrication facilities, while yet another executive is casting aspersions on CEO Lip-Bu Tan.