After facing allegations of illegal collaboration with Chinese tech firms and even a suggestion from the U.S. President to step down, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has publicly defended himself. In a letter to employees on Thursday (7), Tan reaffirmed his loyalty to both Intel and the United States, emphasizing that he is directly addressing the matter with the White House.
Tan opened his message by noting that the U.S. has been his home for over four decades and that it is an honor to lead Intel during challenging times. He addressed the accusations tied to his past leadership roles at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems, dismissing them as misinformation:
“Over my 40 years in the industry, I’ve built relationships worldwide within our diverse ecosystem—and I have always adhered to the highest legal and ethical standards. My reputation has been built on trust, following through on my commitments, and acting with integrity. That’s the way I lead Intel.”
He also confirmed that discussions with the White House are ongoing and stressed that he shares the administration’s commitment to advancing both national and economic security. According to Tan, Intel’s board stands firmly behind his leadership and the company’s transformation efforts.
Ongoing challenges at Intel
Intel is currently navigating multiple crises, including:
- Issues with older-generation processors
- Delays in advancing its next lithography process
- Thousands of job cuts
- Pressure on the CEO to retire
- Losing market share to AMD in both desktop and data center CPUs
- Uncertainty over the future of its Foundry division
Industry rumors suggest that in 2025, Intel may skip launching an entirely new processor lineup for desktops and laptops, opting instead for a refreshed version of the current Arrow Lake generation.
