Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has voiced strong concerns regarding the deteriorating relationship between the United States and China, particularly in light of China’s recent directive to its tech companies to halt purchases of Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips. Senator Bill Cassidy, Johnson’s fellow Louisiana Republican, represented the idea of labeling China as an “adversary.” He went on to lament the current adversarial climate in US-China relations.
Johnson’s remarks come on the heels of reports that the Chinese government told tech firms to halt purchases of Nvidia’s AI chips. This directive is hugely consequential for the tech industry. This latest move, Johnson said, marks another flashpoint in what he sees as a dangerously growing rift in U.S.-China relations that should be managed with caution. He said he was optimistic that the two countries could work together on their bigger agendas to reduce tensions and conflicts that have persisted.
In September 2025, a passerby took this picture of Johnson standing outside of his congressional office in the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. That image portrayed his vigorous engagement on legislative matters pertaining to our national security overall and international trade specifically. His statement is an understatement given the complexities of the semiconductor industry. This is particularly the case in light of the recent agreement the White House cut with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Under this agreement, both companies received export licenses to restart select chip sales to China. That comes with a huge catch—they are required to pay 15% of their sales to the U.S. government.
That changed earlier this year when the Trump administration forced Nvidia to get a license. This mandate only applied to its H20 processors that Wu wanted to sell on the Chinese market. This regulatory landscape still shapes business strategies and US foreign policy today.
Johnson’s remarks reflect a broader sentiment among U.S. lawmakers regarding China’s ambitions in technology and trade. Specifically, he captured his deep dissatisfaction with what’s happening today like this—
“I’m disappointed with what I see but they have larger agendas to work out between China and the United States.” – Mike Johnson
As the geopolitical realignment process continues, Nvidia has become a central player in this discussion, making significant headlines and news lately. As Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO recently said in response to the course that Nvidia has had to take around these international waters,
“We can only be in service of a market if a country wants us to be.” – Jensen Huang