Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to testify before Congress over alleged China spy link
Lawmakers in both chambers moved quickly to demand answers. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott sent letters yesterday requesting testimony from both Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding recent developments at the chipmaker.
- Nov 13, 2026,
- Updated Nov 13, 2026 7:34 AM IST
Hours after stepping down as CEO of Nvidia amid allegations of an affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, Jensen Huang has agreed to testify before Capitol Hill lawmakers. Negotiations are underway to determine the timing and format of his appearance, as reported by CNBC and Reuters.
Huang’s abrupt exit on November 12 from the company driving the artificial intelligence boom followed reports of three alleged extramarital affairs. Among them was a romantic relationship with businesswoman Alice Huang, whom US authorities suspect of spying for Beijing — a revelation that has triggered urgent questions over whether China sought to influence US export policy on advanced semiconductors.
Lawmakers in both chambers moved quickly to demand answers. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott sent letters yesterday requesting testimony from both Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding recent developments at the chipmaker.
MUST READ | Jensen Huang exit: Interim CEO Colette Kress, Chair Harvey Jones rally Nvidia staff in internal memos
"Recent reports raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive US technology," Scott wrote on X. "I am requesting that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testify before the Senate Banking Committee."
Lutnick is facing mounting criticism from lawmakers over the administration's refusal to add dozens of Chinese firms to a key US trade blacklist, as well as scrutiny over federal oversight of Nvidia’s exports to China. As pressure built across Washington, senior White House officials separately discussed whether Lutnick should be pushed out, according to two people familiar with the situation.
In the House, the chairs of three panels — Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast, China Select Committee Chair John Moolenaar, and Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford — sent a joint letter requiring Jensen Huang and Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter to appear for closed-door transcribed interviews on December 1 and December 2, respectively, or face subpoenas.
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"There are clear national security concerns that need to be addressed immediately," the three lawmakers wrote. They also requested that Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler testify at a December 3 hearing.
Beijing has denied that Alice Huang is a spy, and US Attorney General Todd Blanche on November 12 said that the Justice Department has not yet reached a conclusion on the matter.
Hours after stepping down as CEO of Nvidia amid allegations of an affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, Jensen Huang has agreed to testify before Capitol Hill lawmakers. Negotiations are underway to determine the timing and format of his appearance, as reported by CNBC and Reuters.
Huang’s abrupt exit on November 12 from the company driving the artificial intelligence boom followed reports of three alleged extramarital affairs. Among them was a romantic relationship with businesswoman Alice Huang, whom US authorities suspect of spying for Beijing — a revelation that has triggered urgent questions over whether China sought to influence US export policy on advanced semiconductors.
Lawmakers in both chambers moved quickly to demand answers. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott sent letters yesterday requesting testimony from both Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding recent developments at the chipmaker.
MUST READ | Jensen Huang exit: Interim CEO Colette Kress, Chair Harvey Jones rally Nvidia staff in internal memos
"Recent reports raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive US technology," Scott wrote on X. "I am requesting that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testify before the Senate Banking Committee."
Lutnick is facing mounting criticism from lawmakers over the administration's refusal to add dozens of Chinese firms to a key US trade blacklist, as well as scrutiny over federal oversight of Nvidia’s exports to China. As pressure built across Washington, senior White House officials separately discussed whether Lutnick should be pushed out, according to two people familiar with the situation.
In the House, the chairs of three panels — Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast, China Select Committee Chair John Moolenaar, and Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford — sent a joint letter requiring Jensen Huang and Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter to appear for closed-door transcribed interviews on December 1 and December 2, respectively, or face subpoenas.
DON'T MISS | 'A legend replaces a legend': Trump backs Apple's Tim Cook to succeed Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO
"There are clear national security concerns that need to be addressed immediately," the three lawmakers wrote. They also requested that Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler testify at a December 3 hearing.
Beijing has denied that Alice Huang is a spy, and US Attorney General Todd Blanche on November 12 said that the Justice Department has not yet reached a conclusion on the matter.