Treasury Secretary Bessent Blames Commerce
Trump aides clash over Nvidia chip exports to China and Commerce’s enforcement.
November 13, 2026 · Updated 3:55pm ET
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Left · 41
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Center · 55
29%
Right · 40
Pano rates the coverage Balanced.
What happened
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Scott BessentUnited States Secretary of the Treasury on Friday blamed the Commerce Department for failing to blacklist Nvidia customer MegaspeedMegaspeed InternationalSingapore-based AI cloud computing company amid concerns about chip exports to China. - Bessent said Treasury and other agencies had sought restrictions for months, but Commerce controlled the decision because it “has the pen.”
- U.S. officials suspect Singapore-based Megaspeed diverted restricted Nvidia chips to China, an allegation the company denies.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
Howard LutnickAmerican billionaire businessman (born 1961) agreed to testify voluntarily before the Senate Banking Committee about his department’s handling of chip export controls. - The committee requested Lutnick’s appearance on Dec. 10 and former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
Jensen HuangAmerican entrepreneur and businessman; co-founder and CEO of Nvidia’s on Dec. 3, though Huang had not publicly confirmed he would testify.
How the left told it
Left-leaning outlets framed Bessent’s rebuke as a public split within the administration that increased pressure on Lutnick. The New York Times highlighted Commerce’s failure to blacklist Megaspeed; CNN described an “ongoing administration blame game” and reported discussions among Trump advisers about whether Lutnick should be dismissed.
How the right told it
Right-leaning outlets likewise emphasized Cabinet conflict and questions about Commerce’s response to a potential national security threat. Fox News described officials going “to war,” while the Daily Mail called it a “Cabinet civil war.” The New York Post paired Bessent’s criticism with Lutnick’s agreement to face Senate questions.
Nvidia China Scandal
Part of the storyline · Storyline →- Nov 13Nvidia Begins CEO Replacement SearchLeans Right
- Nov 13Treasury Secretary Bessent Blames Commerce (this story)Balanced
- Nov 12Megaspeed Pledges Nvidia Probe CooperationMostly Center
- Nov 12Jensen Huang Resigns as Nvidia CEOBalanced
- Nov 11Cabinet Clashes Over Nvidia China CrackdownMostly Left
