House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast threatens compulsory congressional testimony as lawmakers seek answers about Huang’s reported relationship with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. Senior House Republicans are considering issuing a congressional subpoena to Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang if he fails to respond to requests for a closed-door briefing concerning his reported relationship with a woman suspected of working for Chinese intelligence. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast told ABC News on November 10, 2026, that he was prepared to compel Huang’s appearance if the executive did not respond by Wednesday, November 11.
The warning follows a November 4 letter from three Republican committee chairmen seeking information about Huang’s interactions with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based technology company Megaspeed International. The lawmakers requested a joint briefing on November 18 to examine potential national security vulnerabilities and Nvidia’s safeguards against foreign intelligence operations. No subpoena has been publicly issued, and allegations that confidential information was compromised remain unproven.
Republican Lawmakers Demand Answers on Alleged Intelligence Connections
The congressional request was signed by Mast, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford and House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar. Their letter followed reporting by The New York Times that U.S. authorities were investigating Alice Huang over suspected connections to Chinese intelligence. Megaspeed, an Nvidia customer, has separately attracted U.S. government scrutiny over concerns that advanced artificial intelligence chips restricted from export to China may have reached Chinese entities through intermediaries. Lawmakers want to examine Huang’s communications with Alice Huang, potential contact with Chinese government officials and the company’s procedures for protecting sensitive technology.
Mast told ABC News that he remained concerned about the implications for American national security, particularly because Nvidia develops processors central to artificial intelligence infrastructure. The lawmakers initially requested that Huang confirm the November 18 briefing or propose an alternative date by November 11. Nvidia had not publicly confirmed his participation when Mast raised the possibility of a subpoena. The Chinese government has rejected the espionage allegations, while neither Alice Huang nor Megaspeed has publicly provided a detailed response to the underlying reporting.
Nvidia Launches Independent Investigation as Political Pressure Intensifies
Nvidia announced on November 8 that its board had initiated an independent investigation into reports that Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The company emphasized that it had no reason to believe U.S. national security or proprietary Nvidia information had been compromised. On November 10, independent directors appointed former acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim and law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct the investigation. Huang has agreed to cooperate, and Nvidia’s board has reaffirmed its confidence in his leadership. President Donald Trump separately said the FBI was investigating the matter and indicated that Huang had denied knowing the woman was allegedly connected to Chinese intelligence. Democratic lawmakers have also requested clarification, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling for a comprehensive briefing on potential national security implications. The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of Nvidia’s semiconductor exports and enforcement of U.S. restrictions on advanced chip sales to China.
Republicans face a limited congressional window because Democrats are scheduled to assume control of House committees in January 2027. Any subpoena issued by the outgoing committees could lapse at the end of the congressional term, requiring renewed action under incoming leadership. For Nvidia, the immediate developments create parallel congressional and corporate investigations, although neither has established wrongdoing by Huang or confirmed any compromise of sensitive information.