Scott Bessent Criticizes Commerce Department Over Nvidia Chip Sales to China

Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent has raised concerns regarding the Commerce Department's handling of export controls for Nvidia hardware, specifically citing a conflict with the State Department.

Denver Riggleman, CEO of RIIG Technology, said that it is 'mind boggling' that anyone would defend Jensen Huang's actions as he faces the personal, political and legal fallout from his affair with an alleged Chinese spy. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday blamed the Commerce Department, led by Howard Lutnick, for delaying the blacklisting of Megaspeed, an Nvidia customer suspected of diverting advanced AI chips to China, days before US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet in Shenzhen. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has come under increasing scrutiny because of his reportedly close relationship with Jensen Huang.

Bessent said the State Department wanted to put restrictions on Megaspeed, a Nvidia customer, for months, but the Commerce Department tied its hands.

Bloomberg reported the story as "Lutnick Under Fire as Bessent Blames Commerce for Nvidia Crisis." PBS NewsHour reported the story as "Bessent blames Lutnick's Commerce Department for not restricting Nvidia chips to China." South China Morning Post reported the story as "Bessent blames US Commerce Department for not restricting Nvidia chip exports to China."

Coverage is split across the political spectrum: 2 left-leaning outlets, 2 center outlets, 2 right-leaning outlets. One News compares the framing across these sources rather than amplifying any single outlet's interpretation.

6 sources have covered this story, including South China Morning Post, Bloomberg, PBS NewsHour and Winnipeg Free Press Sports and 2 other outlets. The earliest reporting in the cluster landed about 3 hours ago.