DoJ readies Nvidia probes as Huang scandal deepens

The Department of Justice is said to be preparing probes against Nvidia on multiple grounds, sources told Semafor on Thursday. At least one of them is expected to examine potential antitrust violations by the chipmaker, according to people familiar with the matter. No charges have been announced.

The report lands in the middle of a brutal stretch for Nvidia. Jensen Huang resigned as CEO after an affair with an alleged Chinese spy, a move that sent the company's shares down more than 14%. President Donald Trump jumped in on Truth Social to float Apple's Tim Cook as Huang's replacement, writing that a legend replaces a legend.

Huang still owes Washington an answer. He told House Republicans on Wednesday he would comply with their request to testify behind closed doors, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast had said he was ready to subpoena Huang if he missed a Wednesday deadline tied to a closed-door briefing on the affair. Whether Huang follows through now that he has resigned is unclear.

The alleged spy at the center of the storm, Alice Huang, has her own ties to tech. The Information reported Thursday that a network of firms connected to her recently put money into DeepSeek, the Chinese AI startup that set off global buzz in January 2025. One source said the aim was to build closer ties so the companies could later supply DeepSeek with Nvidia's Blackwell chips, which US export restrictions bar from sale in China.

At the White House, Trump is sticking with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick despite the espionage controversy touching Nvidia and Megaspeed, CNN reported Thursday, citing a White House official. The official said Trump maintains complete confidence in the secretary. Earlier reports said several US government departments pushed to put Megaspeed on an entities list.