White House officials discuss removing Commerce Secretary Lutnick amid Nvidia scandal, Reuters reports

Senior White House officials are discussing whether to remove US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick from his post, two officials familiar with the matter have confirmed to the Reuters news agency.

The officials said the discussions began against the backdrop of a spy scandal surrounding Jensen Huang, an executive of the US artificial intelligence chip maker Nvidia.

Lutnick has faced criticism from US lawmakers since an alleged relationship between Huang and suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, was exposed. Many lawmakers allege that the Trump administration has refused to place several Chinese companies on a key US trade blacklist. They have also questioned whether the government is properly monitoring Nvidia's exports to China.

The lawmakers allege that Lutnick has not taken sufficient steps to stop AI chips from being sent to China.

After Reuters reported that White House officials were discussing Lutnick's future, neither the White House nor the US Department of Commerce reacted immediately. Earlier on Thursday, however, a White House spokesperson told Reuters that President Donald Trump has full confidence in the commerce secretary and his ability to carry out his duties.

In a CNN interview programme on Thursday, Republican Senator John Kennedy was asked whether Howard Lutnick should be removed from the cabinet. Kennedy replied: 'I don't know yet.'

But he told CNN that he and several other lawmakers want to question Lutnick publicly and soon on the matter. 'There is a plan in Congress to summon him for questioning. This is a very serious matter,' Kennedy said.

The United States has not blacklisted any new Chinese company since October 2025, the longest gap in more than a decade. According to an earlier Reuters report, the US Commerce Department has not added new Chinese companies to the list for fear of further escalating tensions between the US and China.

Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler must explain why they have not closed the loopholes in export controls. She said they must act today to ensure that America's advanced technology does not strengthen China's military.