Dems and GOP unite to investigate Nvidia after Jensen Huang’s alleged affair with Chinese spy, but diverge on whether Trump should be held liable

Republicans and Democrats are finding common ground in their push for investigations into Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, The Hill reports. The scrutiny follows his admission of an affair with an alleged Chinese spy, sparking major worries about whether U.S. national security was compromised. Lawmakers are now diving into the connections between Nvidia, the Chinese military, and the U.S. government.

Nvidia produces the most advanced technology for artificial intelligence, making its security protocols a massive priority. Jensen Huang has admitted to the extramarital affair and mentioned that the Nvidia board of directors is starting an independent investigation into these security concerns. While there is broad agreement that the situation needs a closer look, the parties are split on whether President Trump should be held liable for his past interactions with the CEO.

Sen. Chris Coons, who is likely to become the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, is focused on the relationship between Trump and Huang. He wants to understand why Trump ignored intelligence briefings about the affair before taking Huang on Air Force One to meetings in Beijing last May.

Coons noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had informed Trump about the intelligence before that trip

Coons said, “Why did he put our national security at risk? Why did he take Jensen Huang with him on Air Force One, to significant meetings with the Chinese? … That strikes me as the most pressing question.”

When asked about the situation at the White House on Monday, President Trump stated that any intelligence presented to him “didn’t make much of an impact on me.” Meanwhile, other Democrats are looking at the Commerce Department. Three senior Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee sent a letter on Monday demanding that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stop exports of advanced AI chips. They want to know if the department ignored warnings about a suspected intelligence operation while still allowing technology to reach companies under scrutiny.

Republicans are also pushing for answers, though they are not focusing on the President. Outgoing Sen. John Cornyn is calling for a probe into reports that the Commerce Department approved chip sales to shell companies linked to the Chinese military.

Cornyn expressed frustration that Huang did not receive a defensive briefing from the FBI to warn him he was being targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. He explained that these briefings are standard practice to inform a target that they are dealing with a nation state. The FBI has declined to comment on the matter.

Lawmakers are currently debating which committees will lead these investigations. Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, mentioned on Tuesday that he has many questions about how the Senate will handle the situation. He noted that the footprint for this issue spans across intelligence, banking, and foreign relations.

Some Republicans are using the scandal to advocate for stricter export controls. Sens. Jim Banks and Elizabeth Warren are calling for the passage of the AI Overwatch Act to prevent China from accessing advanced chips.

Rep. Brian Mast also voiced his concerns on X, stating, “This situation with NVIDIA’s CEO is a massive concern for the national security of the United States.” Despite his sharp criticism of the situation, Mast indicated he had no concerns regarding Trump’s relationship with Huang.

Three House Republicans have also requested that Huang appear for a closed-door briefing regarding his interactions with Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed who is reported to be an intelligence asset. There is no familial relation between the two.