House Republicans are pressing Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to appear personally before Congress to answer questions about his alleged relationship with a woman reportedly working for Chinese intelligence — and they are prepared to issue a subpoena if he does not.

Huang has offered to send Nvidia's general counsel in his place, according to Reuters, which cited a person familiar with the discussions. Lawmakers appear unimpressed by the arrangement and have signaled they may compel Huang's testimony if he does not appear himself.

What Lawmakers Are Asking For

On November 4, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and two other senior Republican lawmakers sent Huang a letter requesting a closed-door briefing. The letter asks Huang to deliver the briefing by November 18, 2026, and warns that a subpoena may follow if he fails to comply or respond adequately by November 11.

Sending a general counsel instead of an executive is a familiar corporate move, routing answers through the company's top lawyer. Lawmakers, for their part, typically prefer to hear directly from the person at the center of the allegations.

The Allegations Behind the Request

The congressional scrutiny traces back to an October 2026 report from The New York Times, which alleged that Huang had maintained a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who passed information to Beijing.

The woman was identified as Alice Huang, a former executive at a company called Megaspeed. According to the Times report, she was an asset of China's Ministry of State Security, the country's main civilian intelligence agency.

The Megaspeed connection matters for a specific reason: the company spent approximately $4.8 billion on Nvidia chips over two years, according to the research findings. That makes it a meaningful customer rather than a casual acquaintance.

None of the allegations have been proven. Huang has not been charged with anything, and the Times report describes an alleged relationship rather than established wrongdoing on his part.

Nvidia's Response and the Market Reaction

Nvidia's board launched an independent internal investigation on November 8, stressing its commitment to national security. The board also said it has found no evidence that any information was compromised.

Investors did not wait for either process. Nvidia shares fell more than 5% after the allegations surfaced, and the drop reportedly erased $17 billion from Huang's personal stake.

Why Washington Is Paying Attention

Nvidia sits at the center of the global race for artificial intelligence hardware. Its chips power the data centers training the most advanced AI models, which makes the company a national security asset in the eyes of many in Washington.

The scrutiny also reflects a broader backdrop: successive rounds of US export controls have restricted the sale of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips to China, keeping the company's Chinese customer relationships a recurring subject of congressional and regulatory attention.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which Mast chairs, has broad interest in how sensitive American technology flows to foreign governments. A reported connection between Nvidia's leadership and an alleged Ministry of State Security asset lands squarely in that territory.

What Comes Next

The immediate question is whether the episode remains a reputational story or becomes a regulatory one. A closed-door briefing would be a contained step. A subpoena, public testimony, or findings of misconduct would represent a significantly different situation.

The Megaspeed figure is worth watching closely. A customer relationship involving approximately $4.8 billion in Nvidia chip purchases over two years is exactly the kind of connection congressional investigators will want to understand in detail.

Nvidia's internal investigation adds another variable. If the final review sustains the board's statement that no evidence of compromised information has been found, and lawmakers find that conclusion credible, the story could fade.

The dates to mark are November 11, the deadline lawmakers set for an adequate response, and November 18, when they want the briefing completed.