Commerce Secretary Lutnick to testify before Senate Banking Committee amid Nvidia export controversy
Howard Lutnick, the U.S. secretary of commerce, has agreed to appear before the Senate Banking Committee as lawmakers examine the department’s approval of advanced chip sales to a company linked to a spy case.
Senator John Curtis, R-Utah, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, wrote on X that the department’s handling of export controls raises questions about its alignment with national interests and called for immediate answers and accountability.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said there is a growing consensus that limiting chip exports to China is an important position and noted that the issue has been prominent on Capitol Hill. The bipartisan Select Committee on China is reportedly pushing for new restrictions in the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act.
The Commerce Department, which oversees approvals for advanced AI chips and semiconductors, has faced criticism since Lutnick assumed the role. Recent reports indicate that the department approved a $4 billion sale of advanced chips to Megaspeed, a company associated with an alleged spy, before halting a related investigation last year and transferring the case to the Justice Department, according to sources cited by The New York Times.
Senator John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, questioned the rationale for the chip sales during a CNN interview following Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s resignation and said he would like to hear from both Bessent and Lutnick.
Lutnick, who has expressed support for exporting advanced AI chips to China, has at times differed with other officials in the Trump administration who favor stricter controls. He maintains a close relationship with former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Lutnick has agreed to testify before the Senate Banking Committee as the investigation continues.