Donald Trump has called for the resignation of Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, due to his alleged conflicts of interest.

In a Thursday post on his Truth Social account, Trump said, “The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately. There is no other solution to this problem.” The tweet did not elaborate further on the former president’s claims about the semiconductor veteran’s conflicts.

Trump’s comment comes two days after Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote to Intel board chair Frank Yeary to express his concerns about “the security and integrity of Intel’s operations” due to Tan’s “extensive business relationships with the Chinese government and Chinese companies.”

In the letter, Cotton highlighted Tan’s “decades-long history of investing in and supporting Chinese technology companies” at a time when Intel is the United States’ only remaining leading-edge chipmaker.

The Silicon Valley veteran’s past and ongoing investments are mostly conducted through a San Francisco-based investment firm and a Hong Kong-based company, both of which have poured money into a wide array of Chinese technology companies.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), which is China’s largest chipmaker, has also received funding from Tan in the past.

Tan’s past has also come into focus due to his previous tenure as Cadence Design Systems’ CEO. Last week, Cadence, which is based in California and designs chips and software, settled with the U.S. government after it was found to have violated U.S. export controls. The company had sold its chip design software to China University of Mining and Technology, which the U.S. government found to have links to the Chinese military.

Critics say Tan’s professional network and his past investments pose questions over his leadership at Intel, particularly at a time when the company is not only facing stiff competition from Taiwan’s TSMC, but also when the U.S. is trying to ramp up its chipmaking efforts at home.

Intel and White House representatives have not commented on Trump’s post. However, Intel’s share price dropped 3 percent in pre-market trading in New York on Thursday morning following Trump’s post.

Tan became Intel’s CEO in March after the board voted to replace Pat Gelsinger last December. His appointment came at a difficult time for the Silicon Valley giant, which has lost its decades-long lead in advanced chipmaking to TSMC.

Intel remains the only American company to produce advanced semiconductors. However, even as Intel gets billions of dollars in subsidies and loans from the U.S. government to compete with TSMC, it has not been a major player in the latest hot market for chips—artificial intelligence chips.

Intel is at a Crossroads in the AI Chip Race

Intel has been grappling with its competitiveness for years. Last December, the company announced that it would let go of Pat Gelsinger, who had been at the helm as CEO for around a year, and named Tan in his place.

Intel’s decision to bring in a semiconductor outsider as CEO has not only been met with shareholder skepticism, but it has also coincided with the company missing out on a crucial period of growth in the industry.

Artificial intelligence has been the latest focus in the global chip race, and Intel is still not considered a serious player in the new field, even as the company grapples with bringing the most advanced chips to market.

Intel was able to get a boost from the U.S. government last year when it approved billions of dollars in subsidies and loans for the company. The company has also put in a request for more loans as part of the CHIPS and Science Act to further its efforts to build its domestic manufacturing capabilities, although the U.S. House of Representatives has yet to act on Intel’s loan request.

Washington has been quick to help Intel due to Intel’s status as the only leading-edge chipmaker in the U.S. However, Intel has been losing its competitive edge in chipmaking for some time now, and even though Tan has taken over as the company’s new leader, the semiconductor giant has been trying to get back on its feet.

In a July interview, Tan said that Intel’s future in leading-edge chipmaking was at risk if the company did not find a “significant external customer to support [Intel’s] 4nm and future manufacturing technologies.” Tan’s warning only reiterated the gravity of Intel’s position as TSMC already dominates the leading edge.

Tan’s new leadership has coincided with cost-cutting measures and Intel trying to restore profitability, but investor concern remains.

In a July letter, Cotton had highlighted concerns that Intel’s status as a company that was supposed to be leading the U.S. domestic chipmaking drive put Intel at a disadvantage. “Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations,” Cotton wrote. “Mr Tan’s associations raise questions about Intel’s ability to fulfill these obligations.”

The comments come at a time when Intel has been forced to take drastic measures to turn around its performance.

For now, Intel has responded by reiterating that Tan is the right CEO for Intel’s current situation. Intel spokesperson Aaron Johnson told Reuters: “Mr. Tan’s deep industry and operational expertise make him the ideal leader to execute our strategic plan.”

Tan’s ties to China and the recent controversy over Cadence Design Systems have made the Intel board’s decision to place its faith in Tan questionable. While his experience in the semiconductor industry and his connections could be a boost for Intel in a globalized chip industry, Tan’s investments and history with Chinese companies provide a good talking point for U.S. lawmakers and investors who do not want Tan to take the helm at Intel.