Democrats demand answers on Trump’s AI policy amid row over Nvidia CEO's affair with alleged Chinese spy

Democratic members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including Gabe Amo, Gregory Meeks, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, have called upon US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to respond to questions regarding the Trump administration's export policies concerning advanced artificial intelligence computer chips. This demand comes amidst growing concerns over intelligence operations by Beijing.

The lawmakers' request for answers surfaced as congressional leaders prepared for an intelligence briefing on Iran, though they intended to question CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton about a Chinese Ministry of State Security operative who maintained a personal relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

In their letter, the lawmakers stressed that the US cannot claim leadership in artificial intelligence while permitting its most advanced technology to reach a strategic competitor. They argued that national security should take precedence over corporate sales objectives.

Reported by The New York Times, Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, was recruited by Chinese intelligence. Megaspeed acquired Nvidia hardware and set up data facilities in Southeast Asia for Chinese enterprises, like Alibaba. Additional NYT reports revealed that the Commerce Department granted licenses for exporting advanced AI hardware to Beijing-linked entities, military contractors, and blacklisted firms.

Lawmakers argued that permitting China to obtain advanced US AI chips jeopardizes national security, as these chips drive AI, military advancement, and economic competition. Nvidia's board initiated an investigation into Huang's connection with the company's CEO. Huang addressed the affair in a video, admitting to it while confirming he would remain in his position during the ongoing probe.

Parallel legislative scrutiny is mounting, with Republicans across three congressional panels summoning Huang for a closed-door deposition to investigate possible proprietary leaks and his ties to Huang, a situation further detailed in NYT reports. Intelligence sources indicated that Alice Huang operated under Beijing's Ministry of State Security instructions to gather intelligence on Nvidia's cutting-edge AI architecture and to facilitate technology acquisition for China.

The US has prohibited shipments of Nvidia's most powerful hardware to China, a ban Huang has openly opposed, as documented in ongoing investigations cited by The NYT.