Follow-Up: White House Officials Are Discussing Commerce Secretary Lutnick's Future, Reuters Reports, as Lawmakers Step Up Export-Control Criticism
Reuters reported on November 12 that senior White House officials are discussing whether Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick should be pushed out, citing two people familiar with the situation, against the backdrop of the spy scandal surrounding Nvidia's now-former chief executive, Jensen Huang. The report did not say a decision had been made. The White House and the Commerce Department did not immediately respond when Reuters asked again about Lutnick's future after the report appeared.
According to Reuters, criticism of Lutnick among lawmakers is growing, one focus being the administration's refusal to add dozens of Chinese companies to the Entity List, a key U.S. trade blacklist. That criticism predates Huang's resignation on November 12. Huang stepped down after reports of a relationship with Alice Huang, whom U.S. authorities suspect of spying for Beijing; earlier GSM coverage set out the sourcing layers behind those allegations.
Earlier on Thursday, a White House official had told reporters that President Donald Trump "maintains complete confidence in the secretary and his ability to carry out the position." That statement and the report of internal discussions appeared on the same day, and any final decision awaits a formal White House announcement.
Pressure on Capitol Hill is rising in parallel. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who will chair the Senate Banking Committee starting in January, wrote to Lutnick and other senior officials demanding an explanation of why export-control loopholes have not been closed. Warren and Senator Chris Coons had earlier written demanding that all records on Nvidia chip exports to China be preserved, and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott has demanded that Huang and Lutnick testify, warning of subpoenas if they do not appear voluntarily. GSM has reported both steps.
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国商务部长 Howard Lutnick 官方肖像（公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons）。 / Photo: Official portrait of U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
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- 2026-11-12Follow-Up: White House Officials Are Discussing Commerce Secretary Lutnick's Future, Reuters Reports, as Lawmakers Step Up Export-Control CriticismThis story
