Deadline day: Will Jensen Huang face Congress? Nvidia must answer today, as Democrats push China chip limits into the defence bill

Three Republican House committee chairmen have asked Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to appear before Congress on November 18 for a private briefing about his reported relationship with Alice Huang, a former Megaspeed executive described in a recent media report as a Chinese intelligence asset.

Lawmakers want details of their interactions and Nvidia's safeguards against foreign espionage. The request raises fresh questions about China's access to sensitive US technology and whether American companies are adequately protecting their business information.

The proposed briefing will take place one day after Nvidia announces its third-quarter earnings. However, the congressional request is focused on national security, not the company's financial performance.


The lawmakers want Huang to explain what information he shared with Alice Huang and how Nvidia protects its technology and business operations from foreign intelligence activities.

Why are three Republican lawmakers seeking a briefing with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang?

The request came from three Republican committee chairmen in the US House of Representatives: Brian Mast of Florida, John Moolenaar of Michigan and Rick Crawford of Arkansas.

Mast chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Moolenaar leads the House Select Committee on China, and Crawford chairs the House Intelligence Committee.

In a letter dated Wednesday and made public on Thursday, the lawmakers invited Huang to attend a joint, in-person briefing on November 18. They want the meeting to take place behind closed doors.

The chairmen said recent reports had raised significant national security concerns about China's access to sensitive American technology and information.

What does The New York Times report say about Alice Huang?

The congressional request follows a report by The New York Times published in late October. The newspaper reported that US intelligence agencies had identified Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen, as someone allegedly passing information to Beijing.

According to the report, she had developed a close relationship with Jensen Huang. The newspaper based its reporting on interviews with people briefed on the surveillance and other sources familiar with the matter.

The report raised concerns about whether her relationship with the Nvidia CEO could have given Beijing access to information about the American artificial intelligence industry.

However, the report did not establish that Nvidia had handed over confidential technology or national security information to her.

Nvidia has defended Jensen Huang's interactions with Alice Huang, describing them as ordinary business meetings with executives from companies that purchase its products and services.

In a statement shared with CNBC, the company repeated its earlier position that regional cloud customers receive standard business information rather than confidential Nvidia trade secrets.

"Our regional cloud customers receive ordinary business information — not sensitive NVIDIA trade secrets — and zero information relevant to national security," a company spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also pointed out that meeting customer executives is a normal part of Huang's responsibilities as chief executive.

According to Nvidia, Huang speaks with thousands of customer executives every year. The company also said it was confident that the US government would inform it if authorities believed someone posed a threat to American industry.

The three committee chairmen have made two requests in their letter.

First, they want a detailed account of Huang's interactions with Alice Huang. This includes information that could help lawmakers understand the nature of their relationship and whether any sensitive business information was discussed.

Second, they want Nvidia to explain its security protocols against foreign adversary espionage.

The lawmakers said China's access to sensitive American technology remains central to the investigative work of all three committees during the current Congress.

They described it as vital for Congress to understand the extent to which US national security could have been put at risk.

Did Donald Trump know about the alleged Chinese intelligence connection?

The New York Times report also raised questions about what President Donald Trump knew about the intelligence findings.

According to the newspaper, Trump had received a briefing about the findings roughly a year before the report was published. It further claimed that he chose not to act on the information.

The report's claim is particularly significant because Trump has maintained close ties with Jensen Huang and has supported the American artificial intelligence industry.

However, the congressional letter does not confirm the newspaper's account of Trump's briefing or explain whether the committees intend to investigate the administration's handling of the intelligence findings.

The next important date is November 17, when Nvidia is scheduled to announce its third-quarter earnings. The proposed congressional briefing is set for November 18.

Huang's attendance remains unconfirmed. Nvidia has not publicly said whether he will accept the invitation, while Megaspeed has yet to comment on the allegations.