A bipartisan push in Congress seeks to curb Nvidia’s H20 chip sales to China’s DeepSeek, citing national security risks.
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| U.S. lawmakers urge the Trump administration to restrict Nvidia AI chip exports over concerns about China’s DeepSeek advancing AI technology. Image: ChicHue |
Washington, USA — January 31, 2025:
Two key U.S. lawmakers are urging President Donald Trump’s administration to impose export restrictions on Nvidia’s AI chips, citing concerns over their use by Chinese AI firm DeepSeek.
Republican John Moolenaar and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, leaders of the House Select Committee on China, addressed the request in a letter to National Security Advisor Michael Waltz. They called for the administration to consider national security implications and review the export of Nvidia’s H20 chips, which are currently outside U.S. export controls.
The letter, released Thursday, claims that DeepSeek’s latest AI model heavily relies on Nvidia’s H20 chip. The move reflects growing concerns in Washington about China’s rapid progress in AI, particularly following DeepSeek’s recent launch of a cost-efficient AI assistant.
Additionally, a notice from the House of Representatives' Chief Administrative Officer, reported by Axios, has warned congressional offices against using DeepSeek, stating that the company is under review and not authorized for official use.
The U.S. government has long feared that China could exploit AI for cyberattacks or even bioweapon development. Former President Joe Biden previously implemented measures to limit China’s access to advanced AI chips and manufacturing tools, a policy that Trump’s administration appears to be considering expanding.
Nvidia responded by affirming its compliance with U.S. regulations and expressed willingness to cooperate with the administration’s AI policies. Meanwhile, DeepSeek and the White House have not yet issued statements.
Trump’s administration, which took office on January 20, is reportedly reviewing additional curbs on Nvidia’s H20 chips, which were originally designed to comply with existing restrictions on exports to China.