House Republicans push for Nvidia's Huang to testify, float subpoena over spy allegations

A trio of House Republicans are ​unlikely to allow Nvidia CEO ‌Jensen Huang to ​send his company's general counsel to answer questions on his behalf about his alleged relationship with a Chinese spy, according to ‌a person familiar with the discussions.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast and two other top Republican lawmakers on November 4 asked Huang to provide a closed-door briefing about a New York Times ‌report alleging he had a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who passed information to ‌Beijing. Mast is open to issuing a congressional subpoena if Huang doesn’t respond to their request, his spokesperson said. Lawmakers need support from colleagues to issue a subpoena, and the rules to do so vary by committee.

The US and ⁠China ​are locked in a ⁠race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems, with Nvidia at the center because its advanced chips are widely used ⁠to train and run cutting-edge models. Washington has spent years trying to restrict China's access to those chips on ​national security grounds, and the allegations involving Huang have intensified lawmakers' concerns about whether export ⁠controls and other safeguards are strong enough to prevent sensitive US technology from benefiting Beijing.

House China Committee Chairman ⁠John ​Moolenaar, part of the group of lawmakers who requested the briefing, said on Fox Business that Huang had until 5 p.m. ET (2200 GMT) Wednesday to decide whether he would agree ⁠to meet with lawmakers behind closed doors. “If he doesn't agree to that or submit an additional ⁠date, I believe there ⁠will likely be subpoenas for him to appear,” he said.

A spokesperson for Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting Alexandra Alper ‌and Courtney ‌Rozen in Washington, Karen Freifeld in New York; ​Editing by Sonali Paul)