Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced that the United Stated federal government had acquired a 10% stake in Intel — making the USA the single largest shareholder.

Which raises a question: Considering the fact that Intel has implemented a secret operating system within their CPUs — a system which has total control and visibility of everything a computer does, and which computer users are not allowed access to — what are the implications of Intel now being owned, in large part, by a government?

How The Intel Deal Happened

On August 22nd, President Trump made a Truth Social post which read, “It is my Great Honor to report that the United States of America now fully owns and controls 10% of INTEL.”

 

What’s especially fascinating is that, according to the President, “The United States paid nothing for these shares” worth approximately $11 Billion USD.

How, exactly did this all come to pass?

Well, the current CEO of Intel — a man named Lip-Bu Tan — is also the Chairman of an investment firm called Walden International. A position he continued to hold after becoming the new head of Intel.

Back on July 18th, the US Congress Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party wrote a letter expressing concern regarding Walden International’s investments in Chinese Communist Party tied corporations.

 

But Intel CEO’s ties to China didn’t end there.

Lip-Bu Tan was also, previously, the CEO of Cadence Design Systems, which plead guilty to illegally selling chip design software and hardware to the Chinese Military.

 

President Trump chimed in, on August 7th, stating that “The CEO of Intel is highly CONFLICTED and must resign immediately. There is no other solution to this problem.”

 

Lip-Bu Tan sent out a letter to Intel employees, later that same day, addressing some of this — calling it “misinformation”, without providing any specifics or detailed rebuttals. He also referred to his leadership of “Walden” as a “past role”, even though his ties to Walden appear to remain.

4 days later, on August 11th, the Intel CEO met, in person, with President Trump. According to President Trump, during the meeting Trump suggested that Intel should “give” the US government 10% of Intel. And the Intel CEO replied that he would think about it.

On August 22nd, the deal was announced that it had been finalized.

Now there are, obviously, going to be many opinions about this. I have more than a few, myself. Let’s put aside some of the more political and financial concerns, for a moment, and focus in on a security & privacy issue.

The Intel Management Engine Issue

Almost every major Intel CPU, produced since 2008, ships with something called the “Intel Management Engine” (or “IME”, for short).

The IME is, to put it simply, a hidden computer inside your CPU. A hidden computer which has access to everything on your computer (absolutely everything) — but which you are not allowed any access to yourself.

A hidden computer… which even has a full web server.

Now, ask yourself, why would a secret computer — hidden inside your computer, spying on everything you do — need a web server? The answer is not a comforting one.

The IME is one of the most powerful, non-auditable, and widespread backdoors ever created. And it is in just about every Intel-powered computer on Earth. Even Google is concerned about the IME — going to drastic measures to disable it on their servers whenever possible.

And now the US federal government is the single largest shareholder of Intel.

The way I see it, the results of government ownership of Intel could impact the Intel Management Engine in one of two ways:

• The Good: The government could provide oversight into potential, or already existing, abuses of the IME which may be impacting the security and privacy of US citizens, government agencies, and corporations. The government could even force Intel to remove the IME entirely. A massive win for computer security and privacy.

• The Bad: The government could take advantage (or further advantage) of the IME for their own purposes. Possibly even expanding the IME’s already extensive surveillance capabilities.

Now, I don’t know about you, but my gut tells me the bad option is far more likely than the good one.

Even if that is not the intention of President Trump in making this deal… Someone, somewhere within the federal government is already planning ways which the IME can be used (or used further), in ways which we, as citizens, will not like.

But, and this is important, the US government is not the only organization with control over Intel.

The Other Big Players

While this 10% stake makes the USA the single largest shareholder of Intel, both Blackrock and Vanguard come in at a close second (both with close to 9% of the shares).

 

In fact, the top 4 shareholders of Intel now have a combined ownership of roughly 1/3rd of the entire company — that’s a lot of control.

Plus, most of those investment firms holding significant portions of several other computer companies. BlackRock, for example, also owns massive, influential stakes in Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Amazon, and Google.

 

The control which these firms can wield over the computer industry is absolutely staggering.

Now that the US federal government is an even larger shareholder — at least with Intel — it will be interesting to see what impact that has on both the existing investment firms… and the actions of the corporations themselves.

On August 19th, a group of Microsoft employees — working with some outside organizations and individuals — declared their intention to occupy a portion of Microsoft Main Campus, demanding that Microsoft cut all ties to Israel.

That August 19th event, by the self-declared “Worker Intifada”, lasted only 4 hours before those involved voluntarily left (after being told they may be subject to arrest). Following that event, the “Intifada” declared an intention to escalate activities.

Yesterday, August 20th, the “Worker Intifada” returned to Microsoft Main Campus East - which the “Intifada” has declared a “Liberated Zone”.

 

According to multiple reports, the organizers vandalized Microsoft property, stole furniture from both Microsoft and a the independent vendors at a Famers Market (which was scheduled to take place at that time), and screamed obscenities, anti-Jewish statements, and blood libel regarding Israel and Jews at those attending the Farmers Market on the Microsoft plaza.

The “Intifada” poured red paint — to symbolize blood — and laid out fake dead bodies around Microsoft signs. With many waving a Palestinian flag.

 

After refusing to cease vandalism and trespassing, 18 of the “Intifada” members became “aggressive”, and were arrested by Redmond Police Department.

According to the Redmond PD X account:

“18 arrested for various charges during a protest at Microsoft Campus Redmond police are at the scene of a demonstration at the Microsoft campus.

On Aug 20, around 12:15 p.m., Redmond officers were dispatched to a large gathering of protestors in the Microsoft courtyard.

Officers initially attempted to trespass the protestors, but they resisted and became aggressive.

A few protesters had poured paint over the Microsoft sign and on the ground. Others had blocked a pedestrian bridge and were using stolen tables and chairs from vendors to form a barrier.

Officers took 18 into custody for multiple charges, including trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction. No injuries were reported.”

The response from the “Intifada” organizers confirmed those details.

 

“The “Intifada” organizers made the following statement on X, following yesterday’s arrests:

“In response to this peaceful opposition of war crimes, Microsoft and Redmond Police retaliated against protestors with the brutal mass arrest of 18 protestors, chemical weapons, and physical violence.

Current workers, former workers, and community members were hog-tied, violently dragged, and pepper sprayed in a repressive escalation. Microsoft and Redmond Police chose to dehumanize, brutalize, and criminalize people of conscience for opposing Microsoft's ACTUAL war crimes.

As we recognize the sacrifice made by those arrested today, we also recognize that this militarism and physical violence pale in comparison to the experiences Palestinians are forced to endure.

Every day for the past 22 months, the Israeli military has used Microsoft technology to starve and bomb Palestinians in Gaza, while actively displacing Palestinians in an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing.

Let us be clear: no violence will shut down escalation efforts against Microsoft's complicity in war crimes. The Worker Intifada is an answer to Gaza's call for action, and so The Worker Intifada will live on. THE MORE THEY TRY TO SILENCE US, THE LOUDER WE WILL BE!”

The “Worker Intifada” has another event planned for today — Thursday, August 21st, at 4pm — to “honor Palestinian martyrs killed with weapons and tools powered by Microsoft”.

 

This event appears to be planned in order to disrupt local traffic and transportation — the “Intifada” plans to gather at the “Redmond Technology Station”, a transit center and Park-and-Ride location used by Microsoft employees.

The event is timed to coincide, precisely, with the start of the evening rush hour — in an area which is known to experience significant traffic congestion.

 

The “Worker Intifada” has previously declared their intention to escalate their activities, stating “we will not rest”, “we will continue to escalate”, and that they will engage in activities which “cannot be ignored”.

Considering their usage of Hamas (a terrorist organization with the stated objective of the murder of all Jews and Israelis) language and talking points, it seems a reasonable assumption that this “Worker Intifada” is suggesting that they intend to commit increasingly violent acts.

A group of Microsoft employees have launched what they are calling a “Worker Intifada” at Microsoft Main Campus in Redmond, Washington.

The “Intifada” group is demanding that Microsoft cut all ties with Israel, and pay reparations to the government of Gaza (Hamas)… an amount to be decided by later Hamas. Until Microsoft meets those demands, the “Intifada” is threatening to continue to occupy the Microsoft property.

 

Photo credit: https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1957924513938620743

The “Worker Intifada” made the following statement today:

“We will not be cogs in the I​s​r​a​e​l​i​ genocidal machine: a call for a Worker I​n​t​i​f​a​d​a": in a company-wide email to workers and leadership, Microsoft worker Julius Shan shared reminders of the company's complicity and announced the establishment of a Liberated Zone at the M​a​r​t​y​red P​a​l​e​s​t​i​n​i​a​n​​ Children's Plaza. Julius also called on fellow workers to join the global Worker Intifada, by escalating against Microsoft everywhere until all demands from the Liberated Zone are met. Read the full declaration from the Liberated Zone at: http://noaa.cc/worker-intifada”

This “Worker Intifada Liberated Zone” is taking place at what is known as “Microsoft East Campus Plaza” — which the “Intifada” has given the name “Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza”.

 

It is worth noting that this is right in the heart of the development of Microsoft’s most famous software. Office, Windows, Windows Media, and more were all developed within a very short walk of East Campus Plaza.

There has been some police and Microsoft security presence at the “Intifada Liberated Zone” so far today. As of this reporting, no serious events to report.

 

Photo Credit: https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1957921589628113380

The “Worker Intifada”, in their statements (both written and verbal), repeatedly make known false statements and blood libel regarding Israel — and repeatedly use phrases common among anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli terrorist groups.

What follows are images of some of the statements made by this “Microsoft Worker Intifada”. Presented, without comment.