Bessent puts Megaspeed heat on Lutnick: "Commerce has the pen"

Axios
Original Story by Axios
November 13, 2026
Bessent puts Megaspeed heat on Lutnick: "Commerce has the pen"

In a Friday interview, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his department and others supported placing the Singaporean tech company Megaspeed on a list of entities with national security concerns, signaling heightened scrutiny. The push comes amid allegations that Megaspeed illegally diverted U.S. chips to China and amid sensational claims that Nvidia’s Jensen Huang had an affair with a company executive. U.S. authorities have named the woman, Alice Huang, as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset, amplifying the political and security dimensions of the case. With the Commerce Department not responding to requests for comment, the situation underscores ongoing tensions over technology transfer and intelligence risk, and policymakers are weighing next steps in the regulatory process.

Dive Deeper:

  • Scott Bessent indicated broad agreement among the Treasury and other agencies to place Megaspeed on a list of companies with national security concerns, signaling a formal elevation of scrutiny.

  • Megaspeed is described as a Singapore-based tech firm accused of illegally diverting U.S.-made chips to China, aligning the case with risks around tech leakage and strategic supply chains.

  • The narrative includes a highly publicized personal angle, asserting that Jensen Huang acknowledged having an affair with a Megaspeed executive, which adds a controversial backdrop to the regulatory debate.

  • U.S. authorities have identified a woman named Alice Huang as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset, broadening the potential national-security implications of the matter.

  • Driving the news, the discussions involve internal processes at various agencies and whether to move forward with sanctions or additional restrictions, while the Commerce Department did not immediately comment.

  • An editor’s note characterizes the report as a developing and sensitive subject, leaving room for official clarifications as more information becomes available.

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