Democrats demand Trump admin records on Nvidia amid Chinese spy link controversy

Two Democratic senators are demanding that US President Donald Trump’s administration preserve records regarding NVIDIA, questioning why concerns over its business connections did not stop advanced AI chips from reaching companies potentially linked to China. Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons have asked three senior administration officials to preserve records concerning the chipmaker, its CEO Jensen Huang and reported links to a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.

Their letter went to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday (Nov 11). The senators have also sought a briefing on the national security implications of the allegations.

A company at the centre of the inquiry

One name that features prominently in the letter is Megaspeed. The Singapore-based company has reportedly bought more than $4.8 billion in advanced NVIDIA AI chips since June 2024. The Justice Department is investigating whether it diverted chips to China in breach of US export controls.

The lawmakers also flagged reports that a Commerce Department investigation involving Megaspeed was changed after communications with NVIDIA representatives. Their concerns extend beyond the company’s dealings. Reports have suggested that US officials were aware of intelligence concerns involving Huang and a woman identified as Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed and an alleged Chinese intelligence asset. Huang has acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a relationship that prompted the reports.

Senators demand paper trail

The inquiry also follows allegations by Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee that Rubio had warned President Donald Trump about Huang's reported connections, but Trump brushed aside the warning. The committee said licences for NVIDIA’s H200 chips to China continued to receive approval.

Warren and Coons are now seeking communications between NVIDIA executives and senior officials, records of investigations into suspected chip smuggling, and documents showing whether export restrictions were weakened or suspended. They have given the administration until November 17 to confirm that the records are being preserved.

Can Washington keep advanced AI chips out of China?

The wider question is whether Washington’s restrictions on advanced AI chips can hold if companies under scrutiny continue to find routes into the Chinese market. The allegations also put the administration’s export-control policy under pressure. If officials had received intelligence warnings but allowed licences to continue, the issue goes beyond NVIDIA or Huang. It raises questions about whether commercial interests are taking precedence over the national security safeguards the restrictions were designed to protect.