On March 8, 2026, Richard Pessner, a shareholder of Intel, initiated legal proceedings against Lip-Bu Tan, the CEO of Intel, Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The crux of the lawsuit lies in the allegation that Intel divested a 10% stake to the U.S. government in 2025 at a meager price of $20.47 per share, a figure markedly lower than the prevailing market price of $24.80 per share at that time. The plaintiff contends that a substantial portion of the government's purchase funds were derived from R&D subsidies earmarked for Intel, effectively rendering the acquisition of the stake as being obtained "without cost." Furthermore, the potential conflict of interest involving the transaction advisor, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and the Trump administration is poised to become a central issue in the lawsuit. This legal maneuver is anticipated to shed light on additional intricacies surrounding the transaction, and the ensuing developments merit vigilant monitoring.