US lawmakers want answers from the former chipmaker chief over national security concerns, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is also being pressed to explain Washington’s handling of AI chip exports to China.
WASHINGTON, United States – Former Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has been asked to testify before the US Senate next month over his reported relationship with a woman suspected by American intelligence officials of spying for China.
The request comes a day after Huang resigned as president and chief executive of the world’s leading artificial intelligence chipmaker, bringing an abrupt end to his 33-year leadership of the company.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott wrote to Huang on Thursday, November 12, asking him to appear before the panel on December 3 to address concerns surrounding Nvidia, its links to China and the protection of sensitive American technology.
Scott, a Republican senator from South Carolina, warned that the committee could resort to a subpoena if Huang declined to appear voluntarily.
“Recent reports raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive US technology,” Scott said in a statement posted on X.
“The American people deserve answers,” he added.
Huang is not the only senior figure facing congressional scrutiny. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has also been asked to testify before the same committee, with his appearance requested for December 10.
Lutnick is facing questions over allegations that he interfered with efforts to tighten restrictions on exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China.
Reports citing unnamed Trump administration officials have suggested that the Commerce Department delayed or resisted measures targeting the export of Nvidia technology to Chinese-linked companies.
The department’s responsibility for administering and enforcing export controls has placed Lutnick at the centre of the congressional inquiry.
House committees seek closed-door interviews
The Senate requests follow a separate move by three House committees seeking answers from Huang over the alleged intelligence operation.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Select Committee on China and the House Intelligence Committee have requested a closed-door, transcribed interview with the former Nvidia boss on December 1.
The lawmakers have also sought an interview with Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter on December 2, warning that they could use subpoena powers to compel cooperation.
Their inquiry is expected to examine Nvidia’s security procedures, Huang’s reported interactions with Alice Huang and the possibility that foreign intelligence interests may have gained access to sensitive company information.
Separately, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has asked Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler to testify on December 3 about export controls and related national security concerns.
Alleged relationship raises espionage concerns
The controversy centres on Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based technology company Megaspeed, who is suspected by US intelligence officials of having links to China’s intelligence services.
The two are not related.
According to reports by The New York Times, American intelligence agencies suspect Alice Huang of gathering information for Beijing through her relationship with the Nvidia co-founder.
China has rejected the allegations, describing them as a smear.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Thursday that the Department of Justice had not reached a conclusion on whether Alice Huang was involved in espionage.
Huang admitted in a message to Nvidia employees that he had been unfaithful to his wife, apologising to his family and colleagues.
Nvidia subsequently announced an independent investigation into whether its chief executive had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
The company has maintained that it has no reason to believe national security or its confidential information was compromised.
The scandal widened after reports emerged of a separate alleged relationship between Huang and a senior Nvidia executive, identified in media reports as Kimberly Powell, who reportedly worked under him.
Nvidia has not publicly confirmed the allegations surrounding the second relationship.
Nvidia appoints interim chief executive
Huang’s resignation was announced by Nvidia’s board on November 12, with the company confirming that he had stepped down as president, chief executive and board member with immediate effect.
Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress was appointed interim chief executive as the board began searching for a permanent replacement.
The departure followed mounting scrutiny over the allegations and questions about Nvidia’s exposure to possible foreign intelligence activity.
The company, which Huang co-founded in 1993, became a central player in the global artificial intelligence boom by supplying the advanced processors used to train and operate AI systems.
Its chips have also become a major point of contention in US-China relations, with Washington seeking to limit Beijing’s access to technology considered strategically important.
Nvidia’s market value suffered a sharp decline during the week as the controversy unfolded. Reuters reported that the company lost approximately $550 billion in market value over five days, amid the leadership crisis and wider concerns about the technology sector.
