Trump’s Intel CEO clash reflects pattern of politically charged ‘China ties’ accusations

President Donald Trump on Aug. 7 called for Intel CEO Lip Bu Tan to resign, accusing him of being “highly conflicted” over reported investments in Chinese semiconductor firms. The remarks, expressed via a post on his Truth Social network, fit a recent pattern in which Republican lawmakers have questioned the loyalty of prominent figures by citing alleged connections to China, often with evidence that is limited or indirect.

Trump’s remarks came days after Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter to Intel board chairman Frank Yeary citing concerns over Tan’s past leadership at Cadence Design Systems, which settled a case involving unauthorized sales to a Chinese military research institute, and his reported stakes in more than 200 Chinese semiconductor firms. A Reuters investigation in April found Tan invested at least $200 million in Chinese technology ventures between 2012 and 2024, some of which the U.S. government alleges aided China’s military.

Tan, a U.S. citizen born in Malaysia and raised in Singapore, rejected the accusations as “misinformation” and said he shares “the President’s commitment to advancing U.S. national and economic security” while being “proud to lead a company that is so central to these goals.” Intel said in a statement that Tan and the company are “deeply committed to advancing U.S. national and economic security interests” and highlighted billions of dollars in domestic semiconductor investments, including a new advanced manufacturing facility in Arizona.

The pressure on Tan echoes other recent incidents where Republican lawmakers spotlighted alleged “China ties” to cast doubt on prominent figures in the highest levels of government. In February 2023, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) suggested without evidence that Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) “has ties to the Chinese Communist Party that should be investigated.” Chu responded, “I have spent my career serving my constituents and my country. It is unconscionable that a Member of Congress would question my loyalty to the United States simply because I am Chinese American.” Her case became a rallying point for Asian American lawmakers, with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus warning that such rhetoric risked stigmatizing entire communities.

In 2022, Trump referred to his former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who immigrated from Taiwan, as “China loving” and accused her family of seeking to “get rich on China.” Chao, who resigned the day after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack and condemned it, called his remarks “racist” and said they were part of a broader pattern of personal attacks that played into stereotypes about Asian Americans.

Similar scrutiny has reached business and academia. During a high-profile Senate hearing last year, Cotton pressed TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew on his nationality, repeating the question in several forms even after Chew confirmed he is a Singaporean citizen with no affiliation to the Chinese Communist Party. At one point, Cotton asked, “Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party?” to which Chew replied, “Senator, I am Singaporean. No.” The exchange drew widespread attention in Asia and among Asian American advocacy groups, which said it reflected a tendency to conflate ethnicity with political loyalty.

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Dr. Anming Hu, a Chinese Canadian engineering professor at the University of Tennessee, with hiding ties to a Chinese university. The case collapsed after a mistrial and eventual acquittal, but Hu lost research funding, was shunned by colleagues, and said his family lived in fear. Civil rights groups have cited his experience as emblematic of overreach in the now-ended “China Initiative,” a DOJ program criticized for disproportionately targeting scientists of Chinese descent.

Civil rights groups warn that unsubstantiated “China ties” claims can fuel suspicion toward Asian Americans and cause lasting harm. Data shows that bias complaints in workplaces and public spaces rose sharply during periods of heightened U.S.-China tensions. Many incidents involved discrimination tied to perceived foreign allegiance or “perpetual foreigner” stereotypes.

A 2023 AAPI Data survey found most Asian American voters believed political rhetoric on China contributed to rising anti-Asian hate crimes. In 2024, a Committee of 100 poll reported 74% of Chinese Americans experienced discrimination in the past year, with many citing geopolitical tensions.

Advocates urge public officials to avoid loyalty insinuations based on heritage, strengthen bias-crime enforcement and ensure due process in conflict-of-interest reviews. They also call for education campaigns to counter stereotypes and more robust enforcement of anti-discrimination laws to protect careers, reputations and civic participation.