The appointment of Lip‑Bu Tan as Intel’s CEO has prompted U.S. Senator Tom Cotton to scrutinize his past business ties to Chinese tech firms—and whether those connections threaten Intel’s role in American defense-linked supply chains. As reported on by Reuters, in a letter to board chair Frank Yeary, Cotton questioned whether the board vetted Tan’s involvement in companies with ties to the Chinese military and if he sufficiently divested from them prior to leading Intel.
Intel is actively involved in the federal Secure Enclave initiative, which aims to secure microelectronics for U.S. defense use, and holds a roughly $3 billion contract with the Department of Defense. Cotton’s letter asks whether Tan’s investment history could compromise Intel’s obligations under such programs. Intel has landed in hot water surrounding national security concerns multiple times before, too.
