Congress Threatens Jensen Huang With Subpoena Over Alleged Chinese Spy Scandal
Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have been summoned to testify before Congress, and lawmakers are warning Huang that he could face a subpoena if he doesn't cooperate. The requests come amid national security concerns tied to Nvidia's AI chip exports and a reported relationship between Huang and a woman U.S. officials reportedly concluded was a Chinese intelligence asset.
Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO on Thursday, Nov. 12, after admitting to being unfaithful to his wife.
Senate Demands Answers From Huang and Lutnick
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, asked Huang to voluntarily appear at a public hearing on Dec. 3, according to Decrypt.
In his letter, Scott cited public reports that "raise significant national security concerns" and noted that his committee oversees export controls, including how they apply to Nvidia's advanced chip exports. If Huang declines, Scott said the committee is "prepared to use all tools at our disposal, including subpoenas."
"Recent reports raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive U.S. technology," Scott wrote on social media, according to Euronews. He also said "the American people deserve answers."
Scott asked Lutnick to testify on Dec. 10, pointing to the Commerce Department's "central role in issuing and enforcing export control regulations." A Lutnick spokesperson told NBC News that he "proactively agreed to appear voluntarily."
The White House said President Donald Trump "maintains complete confidence" in Lutnick.
House Committees Set a Deadline
On the House side, the Republican chairs of the Foreign Affairs, China and Intelligence committees, Reps. Brian Mast, John Moolenaar and Rick Crawford, sent a letter asking Huang to sit for a closed-door, transcribed interview on Dec. 1.
They also asked Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter to appear on Dec. 2, and invited Jeffrey Kessler, the Commerce Department's under secretary for industry and security, to a hearing on Dec. 3.
Huang and Teter were given until 8 p.m. Friday to agree. "Failure to cooperate with this request will result in the House Foreign Affairs Committee issuing a subpoena," the letter warned.
It is the committees' second request. An earlier Nov. 4 letter asked Huang to brief lawmakers on Nov. 18, and Mast told reporters that Huang had agreed to do so, according to NBC News.
Moolenaar told reporters that Huang had been "one of the strongest proponents for not having export controls," Roll Call reported.
The Alleged Spy at the Center of the Scandal
The congressional inquiries trace back to Megaspeed, a Singapore-based Nvidia customer. In October, The New York Times reported that U.S. officials suspected the company of helping Chinese firms get around restrictions on advanced AI chips.
According to trade records cited by the Times, Megaspeed's sister company in Malaysia bought at least $4.8 billion worth of AI equipment containing Nvidia chips between June 2024 and February 2026. Megaspeed says it has hired outside counsel to conduct an internal investigation.
The Times also reported that U.S. officials concluded former Megaspeed executive Alice Huang was a Chinese intelligence asset and that she had a close relationship with Jensen Huang. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday that the Justice Department has not decided whether she was a spy.
China has rejected the allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the U.S. "should stop fabricating the 'Chinese spy' narratives as a pretext for imposing technology restrictions."
Nvidia's board has said it has no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised, and Nvidia says it complies with U.S. export laws.
What Comes Next for Nvidia
Nvidia CFO Colette Kress has stepped in as interim CEO. The company reports quarterly earnings on Tuesday, its first under Kress.
The fallout has hit Nvidia's stock hard. Shares closed down 4.3% on Thursday, and the company has lost almost $500 billion in market value since the Nov. 6 close. Nvidia and Huang are also facing a shareholder lawsuit over the affair.
Meanwhile, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons have asked Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to preserve records related to Nvidia chip exports to China.
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