Jensen Huang admits to an affair. Nvidia opens an investigation. And in Washington, an old proposal to tighten chip restrictions on China suddenly gets a new selling point.
The two issues must be separated: his affair is one thing. The claim that Chinese intelligence targeted him remains unproven, and China has rejected it as a groundless smear.
So why blur the two in Washington?
For Trump's critics, the scandal puts his decision to ease some chip restrictions and his ties to Huang under the spotlight. For export hawks in both parties, it gives fresh momentum to restrictions they already wanted. And for Huang, his push to keep selling chips to China is now being cast as a security liability by people who opposed it in the first place.
Huang should answer for his conduct. Washington can fight over Trump's chip policy. China doesn't owe either of them a scapegoat.
