White House Pressing to Block AI Chip Export Restrictions in Defense Bill

Citing Jinse, four sources revealed that senior White House officials are pressuring lawmakers to exclude AI chip export restrictions to 'countries of concern' from the annual National Defense Authorization Act. David Sacks, the White House's AI and crypto chief, is leading the effort to remove the provision, now backed by the Office of Legislative Affairs, significantly reducing the chance of its inclusion. Officials have contacted key legislators, including House Majority Leader Scalise, urging opposition to the bill, which requires chip companies to meet U.S. customer demand before exporting to 'countries of concern' and includes export license exemptions for 'trusted' entities. Previously, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang successfully convinced U.S. officials that serving 'countries of concern' benefits American companies. If the GAIN AI Act is not included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act, NVIDIA would be a major beneficiary.