Lawmakers Demand Nvidia CEO Testimony Over Alleged Chinese Spy Ties
Bipartisan congressional leaders are pressing for a closed-door briefing with Jensen Huang and questioning the Trump administration's awareness of the alleged relationship.
By Matthew Collins ·
Lawmakers from both major parties are intensifying calls to examine the reported connection between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and an alleged Chinese spy. The scrutiny centers on allegations that Huang maintained a relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen who served as an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based technology firm.
Three House Republican committee chairs sent a letter to Huang on Wednesday. They requested that he sit for a closed-door briefing with lawmakers on Nov. 18, the day after Nvidia is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings. The letter stated that recent reports raised national security concerns regarding China's access to sensitive U.S. technology and information.
The allegations stem from a memo received by the Trump administration last spring. According to a report first published by The New York Times on Friday, the memo contained intelligence identifying Alice Huang as having been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security. The document also detailed her relationship with the Nvidia chief executive.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., posted on X on Saturday that he was convinced of corruption within the administration based on the reported links between Chinese spies and AI billionaires. Coons is expected to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if his party gains control of the chamber in January. He stated that Congress would investigate and seek answers.
Nvidia spokesman John Rizzo declined to comment on whether Huang would appear before lawmakers. In a statement to The New York Times, Rizzo noted that the CEO has an outstanding security team that accompanies him where needed. He also said Huang's interactions with Alice Huang were consistent with meetings he holds with any of Nvidia's customers.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, shared a related Times report published Saturday. That report indicated the Trump administration approved a Chinese firm called New Matrix to assemble chips for Nvidia in Beijing. Cornyn described the report as outrageous on X, noting that the Times found little evidence of meaningful operations at the firm's listed address despite Commerce Department clearance.
Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., called on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before Congress alongside Huang. Magaziner sits on the House Committee on Homeland Security. Neither Nvidia nor the Commerce Department immediately responded to requests for comment regarding the developing inquiry.
