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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to testify before the Senate Banking Committee as scrutiny intensifies over Nvidia chip sales to China and the resignation of former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott summoned Lutnick amid questions about whether Nvidia supplied advanced artificial intelligence chips to Chinese companies, potentially threatening United States national security. The committee is also examining the Commerce Department’s oversight of those exports.

Huang and Lutnick received letters Thursday evening requesting appearances at separate hearings. Huang was asked to testify on Dec. 3, while Lutnick was called to appear on Dec. 10.

The letter to Lutnick requested testimony concerning “recent public reports about NVIDIA and the Department of Commerce’s role that raises national security concerns.” Lutnick’s spokesperson said he would cooperate with the committee voluntarily.

“Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the Banking Committee to address their questions,” Kristen Eichamer, a spokesperson for Lutnick, told NBC News on Thursday. CNBC contacted the Commerce Department for comment.

Scott’s letter to Huang said reports concerning Huang’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy “raise significant national security concerns.” The matter has added another layer of controversy to growing questions about Nvidia and its overseas chip sales.

Huang has acknowledged an affair with an executive at Megaspeed, a company based in Singapore. Megaspeed has purchased over $4.8 billion of advanced Nvidia artificial intelligence chips during the past two years.

The scandal, along with reports of a separate affair involving a senior Nvidia executive, led to Huang’s resignation on Thursday. Lawmakers are now examining both the national security concerns described in the letters and the government’s handling of Nvidia exports.

Scrutiny of Lutnick and the Commerce Department has increasingly crossed party lines. Lawmakers are questioning the department’s approach to chip policy, its restrictions on artificial intelligence chip supplies to China, and whether it adequately monitored Nvidia’s exports.

Sen. Jim Banks delivered particularly sharp criticism during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday. Banks said Lutnick “appears to have used loopholes to allow some of these chip sales to occur.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also demanded answers from senior Commerce Department officials. She said, “Secretary Howard Lutnick and Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler must explain why they have not closed export control loopholes and act today to ensure our advanced technology is not fueling China’s military.”

Warren, who will chair the Senate Banking Committee beginning in January, joined incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chair Chris Coons in a letter published Wednesday. They said every document connected to the export of Nvidia chips to China must be preserved.

Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Rep. Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts also told Lutnick that they were investigating approvals for Nvidia chip sales. Their inquiry concerns companies with links to the Chinese government, the Chinese military, and sanctioned entities.

Rep. Brian Mast of Florida said Thursday that Congress must investigate the Commerce Department’s role in approving artificial intelligence chip exports to China. Mast also said he retained confidence in Lutnick despite calling for an investigation.

The Trump administration has faced mounting criticism for declining to add over 100 companies identified as national security risks to a trade blacklist, Reuters reported in June. The companies included Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek and memory chipmaker CXMT.

Lutnick is a longtime friend of President Donald Trump, with their relationship extending over three decades. He is also widely regarded as a close confidant of the president as congressional pressure builds around the Commerce Department’s export decisions.

DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.