President Donald Trump's confirmation that Nvidia Corp (NVDA) can ship H200 AI chips to approved customers in China has triggered a political firestorm. And the timing couldn't be more awkward, given that the Justice Department just announced criminal cases involving people allegedly smuggling these exact types of chips into China.
Warren Says Trump Is "Selling Out US Security"
Senator Elizabeth Warren didn't mince words when she weighed in on Tuesday via X. She pointed out that the administration's own Justice Department has described these chips as "building blocks of AI superiority," which makes the export approval look contradictory at best.
"Trump and Lutnick need to answer to Congress on why they are selling out US security," Warren wrote, referring to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
It's worth noting that the approval covers Nvidia's H200 chips specifically. The more advanced Blackwell and future Rubin processors remain off-limits to Chinese buyers and restricted to the domestic market.
Critics From Both Sides Question The Logic
Former Representative Tom Malinowski highlighted what he sees as a glaring contradiction in the administration's AI policy. Trump has consistently rejected AI safety regulations by arguing they would hamper American competitiveness, Malinowski noted. But then the administration turns around and lets Nvidia sell "advanced AI chips to China that will help it win the race."
Even former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley warned that ending restrictions on powerful AI chips "will backfire" and could end up "costing America more than we gain financially."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made his position clear on X: "This is classic Donald Trump: He's so desperate for his photo op with President Xi, that he will sell out America's long-term security." Schumer argued that Trump "can't claim to be 'tough on China'" while simultaneously authorizing access to some of the world's most advanced semiconductors.
New Smuggling Cases Add Pressure
The controversy intensified after federal prosecutors revealed two separate criminal cases involving illegal efforts to export Nvidia chips to China. In one case, authorities arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly smuggling restricted Nvidia hardware. In another, prosecutors charged two Americans and two Chinese nationals with routing banned AI chips through Malaysia between late 2024 and early 2025.
The optics aren't great: the administration is officially approving chip exports while prosecutors are simultaneously charging people for doing essentially the same thing through unauthorized channels.
Adding another wrinkle, the Financial Times reported that Beijing is considering its own restrictions on Nvidia's H200 chips. Under the proposed rules, Chinese buyers would need government approval and would have to justify why domestic alternatives can't meet their requirements.
Nvidia (NVDA) stock is up 33.74% year-to-date, and the company continues to dominate the AI chip market despite the geopolitical complications swirling around its products.