Lutnick Agrees to Testify to Senate Banking as Speaker Johnson Backs Subpoena for Huang if Talks Stall

Since Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO on Thursday, Nov. 12, the pressure has widened beyond the company: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to testify before Congress, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would support a subpoena for Huang if negotiations fail.

"Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the Banking Committee to address their questions," Lutnick spokesperson Kristen Eichamer told NBC News. Her statement did not name a date. Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., had asked for Lutnick on Dec. 10 and Huang on Dec. 3.

Lutnick's hearing and the White House position

Scott's letter says the Commerce Department's "central role in issuing and enforcing export control regulations" makes Lutnick's testimony "essential."

The White House is standing by him. A White House official said Trump "maintains complete confidence in the Secretary and his ability to carry out the position as the most transformative Commerce Secretary in modern history." The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the criticism.

The questions are coming from both parties. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told Fox Business that Lutnick and Jeffrey Kessler, the Commerce under secretary for industry and security, "exploited loopholes." Banks said he believes they "defied President Trump's directive not to sell these high-end chips to China." That is Banks's belief. He did not present evidence, and he has not been joined in that specific charge by any named official in these accounts.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Lutnick should appear voluntarily but "may need to be subpoenaed" if he does not. Blumenthal's central question: "Were export controls relaxed?"

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who is set to become Banking Committee chairwoman after Democrats won both chambers in last week's midterms, said Lutnick and Kessler "must explain why they have not closed export control loopholes." Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and John Kennedy have also said Lutnick must answer questions. Kennedy's focus is the approval of advanced chip sales to China.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who chairs the Senate intelligence committee, separately pressed Lutnick to restrict Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT, according to CNBC. CXMT is on the Pentagon's 1260H list of companies tied to China's military. The Commerce Department last added a company to its Entity List in October 2025.

Huang, Trump and the House

Trump addressed Huang's exit in an interview with commentator Stephen A. Smith. He said Huang called him Wednesday and is "going through hell." Trump added that Huang's biggest concern is "his wife and family."

Trump also questioned whether Huang had to quit. "The big thing is, was the woman a spy? And I don't know if that's been determined yet," he said. "If the woman was a spy, yes. If the woman was not a spy, perhaps it would be different."

U.S. intelligence officials suspect Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive, of being a Chinese agent. She and Jensen Huang are not related. Megaspeed is the Singapore-based company that U.S. officials have examined over allegations that it helped divert Nvidia chips to China. No public finding has established that she was a spy.

On the House side, House Foreign Affairs Committee sources told Fox News they are talking with Huang's team about a date to appear before the end of the current Congress. All three relevant chairmen are prepared to use subpoena power if he declines, those sources said. Johnson told reporters there is "a developing consensus in Congress" for tighter controls on advanced AI chip exports to Beijing.

Three House chairmen had separately asked for closed-door interviews with Huang on Dec. 1 and Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter on Dec. 2. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., who chairs the House Select Committee on the CCP, wants to know what information was sought and what damage resulted. He is pushing for chip-security bills to be attached to this year's defense authorization act. Banks is promoting his AI Overwatch Act along the same lines.

Scott's letter to Huang is voluntary for now. It warns the committee is "prepared to use all tools at our disposal, including subpoenas." Representatives for Huang did not immediately respond to NBC News about it.

No date has been confirmed for Lutnick beyond Scott's request. Huang has not said publicly whether he will accept the Dec. 1 and Dec. 3 requests. The dates now on the calendar run from Dec. 1 through Dec. 10.