Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott Asks Huang to Testify Dec. 3 and Lutnick Dec. 10; House Panels Set Dec. 1 Interviews

A day after Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia's CEO, the congressional response has moved from statements to calendar dates, and the pressure now covers the Commerce Department as well as the chipmaker.

Two chambers, a stack of deadlines

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) sent letters Thursday, Nov. 12, asking Huang to appear at a public hearing on Dec. 3 and Lutnick on Dec. 10. Both requests are voluntary for now. Scott told Huang the committee is "prepared to use all tools at our disposal, including subpoenas."

"The American people deserve answers," Scott wrote on X.

The letters cite the committee's authority over export controls. Scott told Lutnick his testimony would be "essential" given Commerce's "central role in issuing and enforcing export control regulations."

On the House side, Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, China Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar and Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford wrote to Huang and Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter. They want closed-door transcribed interviews on Dec. 1 (Huang) and Dec. 2 (Teter), and warn of subpoenas if either refuses. They also asked Commerce Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler to testify at a Dec. 3 hearing.

"There are clear national security concerns that need to be addressed immediately," the three chairmen wrote.

House Foreign Affairs Committee sources told Fox News they are talking with Huang's team about a date. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday he would back a subpoena if those talks stall, and described "a developing consensus in Congress" on tightening AI chip exports to China.

Lutnick's position

Two people familiar with the situation told Reuters that senior White House officials are separately discussing whether Lutnick should be pushed out. Politico reported the same internal discussions. Spokespeople for Lutnick and Huang could not be reached for comment.

Lawmakers have been criticizing Lutnick over the administration's refusal to add dozens of Chinese companies to a key trade blacklist, and over whether the government properly oversaw Nvidia's exports to China. Commerce has reportedly resisted pressure from other agencies to blacklist Megaspeed. Questions have also been raised about whether a probe of the Singapore-based company stalled after Nvidia's general counsel contacted the department.

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a Banking Committee member, went further on Fox Business. He said Lutnick and Kessler "exploited loopholes" and that he believes they "defied President Trump's directive not to sell these high-end chips to China." That is Banks's allegation. No charge or finding backs it, and Commerce has not responded on the record in the material at hand.

Banks also said he has spoken with Scott and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the committee's ranking member, who he said is about to become chairwoman. He wants both Commerce officials before the committee "ASAP."

What is and isn't settled about Alice Huang

The national security question turns on Alice Huang, a businesswoman who was an executive at Megaspeed. U.S. authorities suspect her of spying for the Chinese government. China has denied it. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday the Justice Department has not reached a conclusion on whether she is a spy. Alice Huang could not be reached for comment.

The Epoch Times reports she became a controlling shareholder of Megaspeed in March 2023 after a career that included CITIC Securities, a state-backed Chinese investment bank. Megaspeed describes itself as a "core business partner" for Nvidia's cloud computing business.

President Trump has argued the answer matters a great deal. Speaking with commentator Stephen A. Smith, he said Huang called him Wednesday and is "going through hell." Trump questioned whether Huang needed to resign at all. "The big thing is, was the woman a spy? And I don't know if that's been determined yet. But if the woman was a spy, yes. If the woman was not a spy, perhaps it would be different," he said. He called Huang "a fine man" and "a tremendous talent."

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), also on the Banking Committee, has called on Huang to step down, citing the "tremendous" potential for extortion. Moolenaar said he shares that concern and wants Huang to "come clean." Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) called ignoring espionage threats around the chip technology "highly irresponsible."

New allegation about Huang

Reuters reported Thursday that Huang had a separate, previously unreported affair with an Nvidia employee. Reuters withheld her name. Huang has not responded to that report in the material at hand. Reports have also linked Huang to Nvidia healthcare executive Kimberly Powell, but those claims remain allegations.

Market and leadership

CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO and no permanent successor has been named. By 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nvidia shares were down more than 5%, according to CNBC, and sat 31% below their Oct. 6 high.

The next fixed dates are Dec. 1 and 2 for the House interviews. Whether Huang agrees to appear voluntarily, or the committees move to subpoena him, is the open question.