Trump Was Right the First Time: Fire Intel's CEO
by Gordon G. Chang • August 12, 2025 at 5:00 am
Here is a suggestion: Instruct the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into Tan. It is time to establish accountability in corporate America when it comes to the People's Republic of China.
The sales were illegal under U.S. law — the university was added to the Commerce Department's Entity List in 2015 — and Cadence in late July pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit export control violations. Additionally, the company agreed to pay a fine of more than $140 million.
To establish accountability, the Justice Department must investigate Tan's role in Cadence's long series of sales to the Chinese military.
"[S]omeone operating at his level and who engaged with Chinese military-affiliated businesses cannot be a reliable partner to the U.S. ... So long as Tan remains as CEO of Intel, the U.S. government can never do substantial business with that firm because the risk of compromise is too great." — Brandon Weichert, senior national security editor of The National Interest, to Gatestone, August 2025.
President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet met Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel, on August 11.
"The meeting was a very interesting one," Trump posted on Truth Social immediately afterwards. "His success and rise is an amazing story. Mr. Tan and my Cabinet members are going to spend time together, and bring suggestions to me during the next week."
Here is a suggestion: Instruct the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into Tan. It is time to establish accountability in corporate America when it comes to the People's Republic of China.
First, the good news.
Tan can save the ailing American chipmaker.
He has the right vision for Intel, is extremely capable, and has the strength to take on the chairman of the company's board of directors, who wants to implement a misguided restructuring.
