US Congress ramps up pressure on Nvidia’s Jensen Huang over alleged China spy links

Growing bipartisan pressure is mounting in the US Congress on Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang over his ties to a businesswoman suspected by US intelligence officials of working for Beijing’s intelligence services, with lawmakers from both parties demanding to know whether US national security was compromised.

Chinese authorities have dismissed the spying allegations.

The controversy escalated over the weekend when Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation after Huang admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife. Huang’s statement about his infidelity did not name the businesswoman, Alice Huang. The two are not related.

Separately, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a statement that did not name the businesswoman, Alice Huang. The two are not related.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a press conference on Monday that “clearly the Congress needs more information” about the allegations. “There are real concerns that need to be addressed with respect to the Nvidia situation,” he said.

Jeffries said the matter came up in an intelligence briefing for lawmakers on Monday, led by CIA director John Ratcliffe and the director of national intelligence, and focused primarily on Iran.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits to extramarital affair; board orders investigation

“We’re going to need a full briefing, specifically as it relates to the Nvidia issue, so we can all get to the bottom of what has happened and what the implications are in terms of America’s national security,” he said.

Jeffries said he had not yet spoken to incoming committee chairs about their views and would discuss whether to hold a full public hearing after speaking with them.

He also said he strongly supported provisions in the Senate’s version of the annual defence bill, the National Defence Authorisation Act, that would restrict China’s access to chips, and that Democrats would work hard to ensure they made it into the final version.

“I’m pushing to investigate Jensen Huang and Nvidia to determine whether our national security was compromised,” Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, said on X on Monday.

“We need answers about the relationship between AI billionaires and the Trump administration, who’s making these decisions, and who’s really got their hand on the wheel.”

Coons is expected to chair the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the next Congress, giving him the power to hold hearings and issue subpoenas.

On the Republican side, three Republican House committee chairmen have asked Huang to appear on November 18 for a joint, closed-door briefing on his interactions with Alice Huang and Nvidia’s protections against foreign espionage.

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They are Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China; and Rick Crawford, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

“Recent reports raise significant national security concerns regarding [China’s] access to sensitive US technology and information,” the chairmen wrote in their November 4 letter. “It is vital that Congress determines the extent to which US national security has been placed at risk.”

Nvidia declined to make further comment. It remains unclear whether Huang will attend the requested congressional briefing next week. The chairmen asked him to accept the date or propose an alternative by November 11.

China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations on Monday, with a spokesman dismissing claims that Alice Huang was a Chinese spy as “pure fabrication out of thin air” and accusing those behind them of seeking to smear China.

The Chinese embassy in Washington reiterated Beijing’s position.

The allegations being made

US intelligence officials reportedly believe Chinese intelligence recruited her to gather information and pass it to Beijing. Huang has said she no longer works there.

Megaspeed did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the Times, surveillance of Alice Huang revealed a close relationship with Huang, who is not accused of wrongdoing. The Financial Times later reported that a memo written by US officials describes a romantic relationship between the two, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal reported that officials in the US, Taiwan and Singapore were concerned she may have passed information to the Chinese government. Singapore said on October 31 that it was not investigating Alice Huang personally.

The Times also reported that officials who briefed US President Donald Trump on the findings roughly a year ago did not believe then that Jensen Huang knew Alice Huang was gathering intelligence for China.

It was also stated that Jensen Huang did not receive a defensive briefing, a warning counter-intelligence agencies sometimes give people targeted by foreign intelligence services.

On Sunday, Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation into whether a foreign intelligence operation had targeted its chief executive.

“The Board prioritises US national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of Nvidia and its shareholders,” the company said in a statement on Sunday. “While the Board has no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, the Board’s inquiry will examine all available information.”

Huang also acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife, without naming Alice Huang in his statement.

“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” he said.

Nvidia is the world’s leading maker of artificial intelligence chips, placing Huang at the centre of Washington’s efforts to maintain its technological advantage over China.

Huang has repeatedly advocated for allowing the company to sell more advanced chips to the Chinese market, arguing that US export restrictions risk ceding ground to Chinese competitors.