INTEL chief executive officer (CEO) Lip-Bu Tan is already facing an uphill battle in turning around the ailing chipmaker. Now, US president Donald Trump’s demand that Tan resign over his ties to Chinese firms will only distract him from that task, two investors and a former senior employee said.

A change in leadership could pile pressure on the company as it pushes through a major strategic reset that Lip-Bu Tan started.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has responded to President Donald Trump’s call for his resignation over alleged conflicts of interest. In a memo sent to staff on Thursday, Tan said those concerns are based on “misinformation.”