The CEO of Intel will meet with the President of the U.S. following a resignation request.

Arthur Tan, CEO of Intel, will visit the White House this Monday. Curious timing. The meeting comes after the President publicly asked for his resignation last week.

The President accused him of having "serious conflicts of interest". Strong ties to Chinese companies. Too strong. Some of these companies seem to have connections to the military in China, or so reports say.

During a meeting, the leader stated that American tech companies need "loyal Americans". Without "divided interests". He presented it as a matter of national security. He said that Tan had "put the entire chip industry of the country on alert". Harsh words.

Wall Street wobbled. It is not normal to see this. Intel's shares fell more than 3% in a few hours. It seems to be the strongest political pressure against an American tech company in quite some time.

Intel no longer dominates as it used to. TSMC and Samsung are catching up. All while Washington and Beijing are fighting over technology, with restrictions on advanced semiconductors everywhere.

Tan reacts and prepares for his visit

Arthur Tan, an American of Chinese descent born in Malaysia, became CEO this year. A veteran of the industry. He previously led Cadence Design Systems, then moved to the board of Intel.

He will defend his career at the meeting. He will tell his story. His arrival in the U.S. His commitment to American technology.

It will also discuss Intel as a key economic player. Reopening of factories. Stronger supply chains. Investments in research.

Tan wants to propose ways to collaborate more with the government. Training. Cutting-edge AI.

Last week, he issued a brief statement. He said he shares the president's commitment to security. He added that Intel would continue to be a reliable partner of the government. Simple message.

Intel under pressure for national security

Tan's situation worsened after Reuters reported that he invested more than $200 million in hundreds of Chinese companies. Advanced chips. Manufacturing. Some later appeared linked to military projects. It doesn’t sound good.

Their leadership at Cadence is also under scrutiny. In 2021, they sold software to a Chinese military university. Something about nuclear simulations. Complicated.

Last month, Cadence pleaded guilty. They paid over $140 million for criminal charges. Tan was not directly accused. But there are questions about their decisions.

Security experts warn: one cannot let their guard down with semiconductors. They are key for everything. From your phone to defense systems and satellites. AI also needs them. A lot at stake.