Lutnick stalled Trump crackdown on diversion of Nvidia chips to China, Axios reports

​US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stalled President Donald Trump's ‌crackdown on companies suspected of diverting Nvidia's chips to China, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing high-level sources.

Trump ‌on Thursday authorized a crackdown on companies suspected ‌of diverting the chips for the third time this year, Axios reported, adding that the Republican president consulted billionaire ⁠Elon ​Musk ⁠before giving the go-ahead. But Axios reported Lutnick has repeatedly ⁠stood in the way.

Lutnick met in the Situation ​Room on Thursday with US Treasury Secretary Scott ⁠Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer ⁠and ​Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the meeting, Bessent confronted Lutnick about resistance from his ⁠department on implementing the export controls. Lutnick appeared to agree ⁠but ⁠said he needed to check with Trump, according to Axios.