Rep. John Moolenaar has given Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang until the end of business today to respond. In Washington, deadlines are usually measured in weeks, making a same-day turnaround notable.
Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican, chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. His committee is examining intelligence reports suggesting Huang may have been targeted by a Chinese espionage operation.
How the pressure built
The deadline follows a series of escalating moves. On November 5, 2026, Moolenaar joined Reps. Brian Mast and Rick Crawford in sending Huang a letter.
The letter asked Huang to attend a closed-door briefing scheduled for November 18. With no cameras or public transcript, a closed-door session allows lawmakers to discuss sensitive intelligence.
The concerns focus on Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based cloud company. The suspected espionage effort is allegedly linked to Jensen Huang’s relationship with her.
Nvidia’s board launched its own internal investigation on November 9, 2026. It confirmed that Huang has a relationship with Alice Huang and said no criminal charges have been filed.
The board also said it found no evidence that national security or Nvidia’s proprietary secrets had been compromised.
Nvidia shares declined in after-hours trading on November 9, following the announcement of the investigation.
Moolenaar was not satisfied with the board’s review. On November 10, he said Congress needs to investigate the matter thoroughly.
What Congress wants to know
Moolenaar has publicly urged Nvidia to conduct a comprehensive internal investigation. He wants the review to address two specific questions.
First, was any sensitive information shared through the relationship? Second, did the relationship affect Nvidia’s lobbying on US export restrictions covering chip sales to China?
The congressional inquiry also comes after a New York Times report. According to the report, Huang had not received a standard defensive briefing from US intelligence.
Moolenaar has called the inquiry part of a broader congressional effort to examine China’s access to American AI technology.
Why the timing matters
The timing is awkward for Nvidia. The November 18 briefing is scheduled for one day after the company is due to report third-quarter earnings.
What this means
The two sides’ accounts differ. Nvidia’s board says it found no evidence that national security or company secrets were compromised. Congress clearly wants to assess that conclusion independently.
The Times report adds another complication. If US intelligence believed Huang might be a target but never gave him a defensive briefing, lawmakers may ask why.
The dates to watch are now set: first the same-day response deadline, then Nvidia’s third-quarter earnings, followed by the November 18 briefing.
Source: cryptobriefing.com. Adapted by NBTC.
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