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Friday, November 13, 2026
“What did the president know, and when did he know it?!” That was Joe Scarborough, channeling Howard Baker Jr.’s famous 1973 Watergate quote, Friday morning, as the Jensen Huang alleged Chinese spy affair grows into a MUCH bigger scandal involving Trump’s cabinet and national security. It’s well established that Donald Trump LOVES to hang out with billionaire oligarchs, and given how much money they’ve given to his campaign and pet projects like the new White House Ballroom, the incentive is clear. But did he prioritize his friendship with Huang over national security? It’s not an unfair question to ask, or “people are saying,” as the commander in chief might say. Meanwhile, both Republicans and Democrats are struggling to figure out what the hell voters told them last week. The GOP is starting to channel Principal Skinner, asking if they are out of touch? No, of course not; it's the kids voters that are out of touch. Also? Democrats are still disarraying.
01. Trump Puts His Rich Friends First. Now Howard Lutnick Has to Answer for It
[Gaining Traction]. Trump urged Nvidia’s CEO to keep his job after two spy briefings. His Commerce secretary gets the questions.
President Trump was briefed at least twice that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was involved with a suspected Chinese spy, according to The New York Times, and he still called Huang on Tuesday and urged him to fight for his job. Huang resigned Thursday. Trump praised him on Truth Social and suggested former Apple CEO Tim Cook take over. White House officials and the president’s allies think he set the warnings aside because he feared what a scandal would do to the economy, according to a report from CNN’s Kristen Holmes.
Republicans in Congress are taking it out on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a longtime Trump friend whose department polices chip sales to China. Senator Jim Banks of Indiana said “this news is as concerning as it gets” and that Lutnick appears to have used loopholes to let the sales go through. Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott asked Lutnick to testify, and Lutnick has agreed. Lutnick said last year that the decision on advanced chips “sits right on the desk of Donald Trump.”
TAKEAWAY: Jensen Huang’s sex scandal was hiding a MUCH bigger national security scandal in Trump’s cabinet. That was my headline yesterday in a column criticizing earlier media coverage that focused almost entirely on the affair, ignoring the larger implications for Trump, Lutnick, and the CIA. Thankfully, the news media world is catching up. Now forgive me while I go toot my own horn. (Toot, toot.)