Nvidia scandal sparks US national security furore and calls to take tough line on China

Jensen Huang’s reported relationship with a woman accused of spying for China has prompted bipartisan calls in Congress to investigate whether US national security was put at risk. The controversy has also renewed scrutiny of President Donald Trump’s ties to Huang and of the Commerce Department’s oversight of Nvidia’s chip exports.

Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are expected to answer questions before Congress, with the Senate banking committee saying it may subpoena Huang if he does not appear voluntarily. Nvidia’s board confirmed Huang’s departure on Thursday and appointed chief financial officer Colette Kress interim chief executive; the board statement did not mention the allegations. The dispute comes amid efforts to restrict China’s access to Nvidia’s advanced AI chips, which are important to developing cutting-edge AI systems.