Nvidia affair: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before Congress

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will testify before Congress on the scandal affecting US chip giant Nvidia, US media reported on Thursday.

American parliamentarians have demanded transparency from Donald Trump's government, to be informed of what the administration knew about the extramarital relationship that Jensen Huang, resigned boss of Nvidia, had with a woman suspected of spying for China.

“Secretary Lutnick took it upon himself to voluntarily appear before the Banking Committee to answer their questions,” Kristen Eichamer, a spokesperson for Mr. Lutnick, told NBC News. The latter has come under scrutiny, with the Commerce Department tasked with assessing companies for national security risks before the Trump administration gave Nvidia the green light to sell advanced chips to China.

“The role of the ministry”

Beijing is engaged in a race against the United States to dominate the tech sector. However, Washington restricts exports to China of cutting-edge chips, of which Nvidia is the undisputed leader in terms of their design.

According to NBC, Tim Scott, the chairman of the US Senate Banking Committee, had requested the minister's testimony as part of a public hearing regarding the Nvidia affair “and the role of the Department of Commerce in raising national security concerns”. Mr. Scott also asked Jensen Huang to testify before the commission, according to the same source.