Intel’s Next Power Move: Decoding CEO Tan’s High-Stakes White House Summit With Trump

Silicon Valley holds its breath as Intel's CEO emerges from closed-door talks with the former president. What chips are on the table—and who's bluffing?

Behind the handshakes: A semiconductor giant playing 4D chess in DC's power corridors. Tax breaks? Trade deals? Or just another corporate photo op?

Wall Street's already pricing in the hype—because nothing juices a stock like political theater and vague promises of 'domestic manufacturing growth.'

Could Trump’s Love for Deals Lead to One for Intel?

“At a minimum it sounds like Lip-Bu made a good impression,” Bernstein analysts led by Stacy Rasgon told clients Tuesday. The meeting, Bernstein suggested, could help Intel make a case for its importance to America’s semiconductor industry and competitive position. 

The analysts said that while it’s not yet clear what President Trump might want from Intel in return, “he tends to be transactional, and loves making deals where he (and, hopefully, the US too?) come out ahead.” 

They pointed to Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) deals confirmed yesterday, in which the chipmakers agreed to pay 15% of their China chip revenues to the U.S. government in exchange for licenses to resume sales of certain AI chips to China.

"We would presume Intel will pitch opportunities for further support," Bernstein said, which could take the FORM of indirect financial incentives, customer "encouragement," or direct investment. "We have heard a number of these sorts of speculations over the last several months as well," the analysts added.