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Trump Officials Clashed Over Firm at Heart of Nvidia Affair
New York Times ^ | November 12, 2026 | Ana Swanson and Tripp Mickle

Posted on 11/12/2026 3:41:05 PM PST by Miami Rebel

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confronted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week over his handling of a Singaporean company at the heart of revelations about Chinese spying on Nvidia, demanding to know why the United States had not already banned sales of advanced A.I. chips to the firm.

The exchange, which took place at the White House on Thursday and was described by people briefed on it, highlighted growing tensions inside the Trump administration over A.I. policy in general and the Commerce Department’s posture toward Nvidia in particular.

The internal debate has only intensified after Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, acknowledged he had an affair with a woman who had helped lead the Singaporean data center company, Megaspeed. The woman, Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen, has been identified by U.S. intelligence as a spy for China’s Ministry of State Security, The New York Times has reported.

Mr. Lutnick responded to Mr. Bessent that the Commerce Department could now move quickly to put restrictions on Megaspeed in place, said the people briefed on the exchange, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were private.

The United States has imposed restrictions since late 2022 on selling advanced chips directly to China. But Megaspeed and other companies have sidestepped those rules by setting up data centers in Southeast Asia to cater to Chinese clients. U.S. officials have also been investigating Megaspeed for potentially diverting those chips illegally into China, a charge that Megaspeed has denied.

The move to blacklist Megaspeed had earlier been discussed at a meeting of the deputies of cabinet officials, where Jeffrey Kessler, an under secretary in the Commerce Department, deferred on taking action, saying that the decision was up to Mr. Lutnick.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 2026accomplice; frtraitorslist; howardlutnick; lutnick; miamitraitor; newyorkslimes; nvidia; scottbessent; tdsposter; theslimes; venezuelantraitor
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Lutnick's head is on the block. His hearings and Huang's are not going to be pretty. Both Republicans and Democrats are out for blood.

Bear in mind that Huang's affair with a Chinese agent was known as far back as May, yet two days ago the President was calling him an "honorable guy."

And before someone complains about using the Times as a source, bear in mind that it was the Times, not the administration, that broke this story.

1 posted on 11/12/2026 3:41:05 PM PST by Miami Rebel
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To: Miami Rebel

There is no honor among thieves.


2 posted on 11/12/2026 3:56:28 PM PST by crusty old prospector
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To: Miami Rebel

nvidiagate


3 posted on 11/12/2026 4:07:55 PM PST by Third Person
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To: Miami Rebel
I saw this online:

So you're saying Nvidia's CEO, admits to an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. reportedly has another with a company executive, but I click ONE phishing email and suddenly I'M the liability?!!

4 posted on 11/12/2026 4:12:13 PM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s²)
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To: Miami Rebel

It is silly to think a government can secure the products of a $5 trillion company.

How many professors does technology require?

https://engineering.mit.edu/meet-our-faculty


5 posted on 11/12/2026 4:20:07 PM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: Miami Rebel

As I posted about two days ago:

The company is valued at about $5 trillion.

To maintain that valuation requires the sale of lots of chips. Some might get diverted.

The Red Chinese don’t even have to have the chips, they could lease data center capacity.

The only things Communists can’t steal are honesty and integrity.


6 posted on 11/12/2026 4:22:00 PM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: Miami Rebel

https://engineering.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty

One could count them up in minutes.


7 posted on 11/12/2026 4:25:20 PM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: Miami Rebel

Hillary has the inside scoop.


8 posted on 11/12/2026 4:32:07 PM PST by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: Miami Rebel

I wonder if Lutnick or other Trump officials are behind this story. Sure seems like someone high up is pushing it.


9 posted on 11/12/2026 4:42:02 PM PST by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (You can vote totalitarians in but you can never vote them out...)
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To: Miami Rebel

I feel confident that China is getting nVidia chips one way or another.


10 posted on 11/12/2026 5:13:42 PM PST by ComputerGuy
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To: Miami Rebel

The Times proved its value here.


11 posted on 11/12/2026 5:55:11 PM PST by nwrep
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To: Miami Rebel
And before someone complains about using the Times as a source, bear in mind that it was the Times, not the administration, that broke this story.

It is the invariable reflex on Free Republic to ignore the facts and concentrate on the provenance of the source.


12 posted on 11/12/2026 7:56:15 PM PST by nathanbedford (Attack, repeat, attack! - Bull Halsey)
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