Lutnick agrees to testify in front of Senate Banking Committee over Nvidia concerns

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has reportedly agreed Thursday to testify in front of the Senate Banking Committee next month amid bipartisan pressure over his friendship with former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott sent letters to Huang and Lutnick, seeking their testimonies on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.

The letters come hours after Huang resigned his post over at least one extramarital affair and allegations of another. One of those alleged relationships was with an alleged female Chinese spy.

“Secretary Lutnick has proactively agreed to appear voluntarily before the Banking Committee to address their questions,” Lutnick spokesperson Kristen Eichamer told NBC News.

Scott requested that Lutnick testify in a public hearing “regarding recent public reports about Nvidia and the Department of Commerce’s role that raises national security concerns.”

“Given the Department of Commerce’s central role in issuing and enforcing export control regulations, your testimony before the Committee will be essential in our oversight of these efforts,” Scott wrote.

Huang has not commented so far on whether he will appear in front of Scott, but he did agree to brief Congress on the relationship with the alleged spy. 

U.S. intelligence agencies concluded the woman, Alice Huang, was spying for China. Revelations about the relationship, followed by new ones Wednesday about an affair with a company executive who reported to him, led to Jensen Huang's resignation. 

Huang’s extramarital affairs have added to concerns that Nvidia's chips may have been smuggled or illegally accessed by AI companies in China. Nvidia is a chip making firm that has been integral to the AI revolution. 

The White House is standing by Lutnick, telling NBC News that President Donald Trump “maintains complete confidence in the secretary and his ability to carry out the position as the most transformative commerce secretary in modern history.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.