GOP Sen. Tom Cotton questions new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan over alleged ties to Chinese military

A top Republican senator demanded new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reveal if he has any ties to China’s Communist Party and military – citing national security concerns.In a letter sent Wednesday to Intel Chairman Frank Leary, Sen.Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote that he is concerned “about the security and integrity of Intel’s operations and its potential impact on US national security,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Post.Tan replaced ousted Intel chief Pat Gelsinger in March — a year after the struggling company was awarded a whopping $8 billion in Biden-era CHIPs Act funding.Cotton’s missive came after a report earlier this year claimed Tan invested at least $200 million across hundreds of Chinese firms between March 2012 and December 2024.Some of these advanced manufacturing and semiconductor firms have been linked to the Chinese Communist Party and military, Reuters reported in April.In his letter, Cotton questioned whether the board had required Tan to divest from these stakes before assuming the CEO role.The senator asked whether Tan had disclosed his remaining investments to the US government, since Intel has a responsibility as a major recipient of federal funding.He also demanded to know whether the board was aware of subpoenas targeting Cadence Design – which Tan ran from 2008 to 2021 – before it hired him.“Intel and Mr.

Tan are deeply committed to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the US defense ecosystem,” an Intel spokesperson told The Post.Intel added that it will address the matter with Cotton, who asked for responses by Aug.15.“Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations,” Cotton wrote in the letter.“Mr.

Tan’s associations raise questions about Intel’s ability to fulfill these obligations.”In 2024, Intel was awarded $8.5 billion in CHIPs funding under the Secure Enclave program, a nation...