Senate Banking chair seeks testimony from Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Lutnick
The Senate Banking Committee has asked Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify in December over chip export controls, while Huang's personal scandal and Nvidia's internal probe continue to draw attention.
The Senate Banking Committee has asked Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify about the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China, with hearing dates set for December 3 and December 10. Committee chair Tim Scott has said the panel will consider subpoenas if either official declines to appear voluntarily. Whether Huang and Lutnick will attend without compulsion remains unresolved.
The request comes as Huang faces a separate and unusual controversy. He has admitted to an affair with a woman believed to be a Chinese spy, according to reporting summarized in the roundup, and China has denied any involvement. Additional reports describe affairs involving Nvidia executive Kimberly Powell and a staffer. President Donald Trump has said the FBI is investigating the relationship with the alleged spy, and has said Huang is « going through hell » after a private call with him. Nvidia has since said Huang exited the company's top role, with Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress named interim chief executive.
Nvidia's board is conducting its own independent investigation and has hired Joon H. Kim of the law firm Wachtell Lipton to lead it. The company's governance response is separate from the congressional inquiry, which is focused on export policy rather than Huang's personal conduct.
The Banking Committee's jurisdiction covers export controls, and the panel's interest centers on Nvidia's advanced chips reaching China. Senator Tommy Banks has accused Lutnick of allowing loopholes that let high-end chips reach the country, and has said Lutnick defied a directive from Trump on chip sales to China. Senator Elizabeth Warren has urged Lutnick and Under Secretary Kessler to close those export loopholes. Senator John Kennedy mocked the Huang affair as an « intergalactic freak show », a remark that highlighted how the personal scandal has overshadowed the policy questions for some lawmakers.
Beyond the chip debate, the roundup also covered the Senate leadership fight in which Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faces a new challenger, reportedly backed by a key progressive figure. Other items in the package included Iran ruling out nuclear inspections amid U.S. threats, former Vice President Mike Pence leaving the door open to a 2028 presidential run, and an investigation into a New York City building collapse that is examining the contractor's history of code violations.
Source: foxnews.com
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