White House weighs ousting Commerce Secretary Lutnick over Nvidia export scandal

The White House is considering removing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick amid a spy scandal involving former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who resigned Thursday, two sources said. Lawmakers have criticized Lutnick for the administration's refusal to add dozens of Chinese firms to a key trade blacklist and questioned oversight of Nvidia's exports to China. The criticism predates Huang's resignation but has intensified following it. Senators have demanded explanations and documents regarding Nvidia's advanced AI chip exports to China, citing Huang's relationship with a Singapore-based executive whose company purchased over $4.8 billion in chips. The U.S. has not added new entities to the blacklist since October 2025.