President Donald Trump is blocking Singapore-based Broadcom's takeover of U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm on national security grounds.

The White House says Trump is taking the action on the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews foreign purchases of U.S. entities. Broadcom made an unsolicited bid last year to take over Qualcomm, which has been met by shareholder skepticism and regulatory scrutiny on security and antitrust grounds.

Last year, Trump used a similar rationale to block the $1.3 billion sale of Portland-based Lattice Semiconductor to Chinese-backed investors.

Broadcom is in the process of moving its legal headquarters from Singapore to the U.S., with the company planning on finishing the move by April 3, 2018. Trump hosted Broadcom CEO Hock E. Tan in the White House last year as he announced the move, and the company had hoped that would help it skirt the national security review.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Intel was concerned that Broadcom could pose a competitive threat if the deal with Qualcomm went through. The paper reported Intel was considering various steps in response -- perhaps including the purchase of Broadcom itself.

-- The Associated Press