By David Shepardson and Courtney Rozen
WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday said Congress must have a full accounting of President Donald Trump’s defense of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and called on lawmakers to quickly approve new restrictions on US chip exports to China.
Schumer cited reports Trump was briefed on Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese spy a year ago and did nothing.
“What a dereliction of duty. He’s supposed to protect America, not China, not his friends. Trump has been busy trying to defend Jensen Huang when he ought to be defending our national security,” Schumer said. “We need a full accounting for Trump’s failure to address foreign espionage in the American tech industry.”
The White House and Nvidia did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A growing number of lawmakers want restrictions on US exports of chips to China as part of an annual defense bill.
“This alarming situation makes it clear that Congress must act now to pass critical bipartisan legislation … to cut off China’s access to advanced American technology before it’s too late,” Schumer said.
A Senate version of the defense bill contains provisions to giving Congress more authority on AI chips going to China, prodding US allies to restrict sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China and requiring businesses to track their AI chips abroad to combat smuggling.
Lawmakers want a briefing with Huang.
Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego said, “Nvidia has been asking permission to sell advanced chips to China. We need to know how much the Chinese spy influenced CEO Jensen’s decision.”
Trump said Monday he had spoken to Huang, who told him that he had no idea that the woman was a spy. Trump added he was “amazed” by the allegations and that the FBI was now looking into the issue.
Nvidia’s board launched a probe after the New York Times said Huang had a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who US intelligence officials believe shared information with Beijing.
“One of our most important companies that is involved in national security, and the CEO might be having an affair with a Chinese spy, and Trump did nothing about it,” Schumer said.
He noted that Trump invited Huang to join him on a visit to Beijing and accepted a $25 million donation from the company for his White House ballroom.
“We also need answers on Nvidia’s influence campaign and how it affected the Trump administration’s national security decisions, including the loosening – the loosening – of key export controls,” Schumer said.
Huang is one of Trump’s closest allies in Silicon Valley, and the relationship between the two dates to at least 2025.
Over the past two years, he has repeatedly voiced support for the administration’s agenda and become a regular presence in Washington as Nvidia sought to sell advanced chips to the Chinese market.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Alistair Bell)
