Trump Admin Concerned China Somehow Acquired Top AI Chip Tool
The Trump administration is reportedly concerned that a cutting-edge European chipmaking tool may have ended up in Beijing’s hands. Commerce Secretary HowardLutnicktold semiconductor company ASML in a recent. . .
The Trump administration is reportedly concerned that a cutting-edge European chipmaking tool may have ended up in Beijing’s hands. Commerce Secretary HowardLutnicktold semiconductor company ASML in a recent meeting that he worried one of their chip-printing machines was sold to China, sources familiar with the discussionstoldBloomberg. ASML has never been allowed to ship the extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines toChinadue to exportcontrolsenacted during President Donald Trump’s first term. (RELATED:Chris Van Hollen, Chris Coons Press Howard Lutnick About New Epstein Files Revelations)ASML has denied reports that it shipped any EUV machinery to China, Reutersreportedon Friday. “ASML has never shipped an EUV machine to China nor have we shipped to China any component, module or equipment specially designed to be used in an EUV machine,” the company told Reuters in a statement. An ASML spokesperson and the Commerce Department each did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 17: ASML CEO, Christophe Fouquet attends the 10th edition of the VivaTech trade show at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles on June 17, 2026, in Paris, France. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)“EUV lithography does big things on a tiny scale,”accordingto ASML’s website. “The technology, which is unique to ASML, prints microchips using light with a wavelength of just 13. 5 nm – almost x-ray range. ”The U. S. government has notablyaimedto strengthen export controls of advanced semiconductors since 2018 as part of a broader effort to restrict China’s ability to produce advanced chips and other artificial intelligence technology. A December 2025reportby TrendForce projected that China’s high-end AI chip market will expand by more than 60% in 2026. The House Select Committee on China published aninvestigationin April which alleges that the country uses “both legal and illegal” methods to produce its own semiconductor production and develop AI technology. China lawfully secures large quantities of advanced AI chips and also “utilizes sophisticated smuggling networks to acquire restricted AI chips,” according to the committee’s report. There have also beenvariousreportsin recent years of theChinese government attempting tostealthe U. S. and other nations’ intellectual property. Multiple companies are supporting a bill that would mandate advanced U. S. AI chips to include enhanced security features to prevent them from entering foreign countries such as China, NBC News firstreportedThursday. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation. org.