John Moolenaar Urges Trump Administration to Enforce Chip Rules

Representative John Moolenaar, leader of the House Select Committee on China, sent a letter to the Commerce Department on Thursday urging the Trump administration to enforce a Biden-era rule restricting advanced logic chips from reaching untrusted Chinese firms. The regulation, introduced in January 2025, requires chip manufacturers to scrutinize orders to ensure they are not serving as fronts for sanctioned entities.

Moolenaar argued that strict enforcement is necessary to close loopholes previously exploited by firms such as Huawei and Sophgo. He stated that the measure is a critical step in preserving America's technological edge and warned that failing to enforce the rule would increase the risk of another export control failure similar to the Sophgo case.

The request follows reports that the Trump administration may not enforce certain Biden-era chip regulations, a move that has created uncertainty for manufacturers like TSMC. Moolenaar's position aligns with concerns raised by Republican Senator Jim Banks and Representative Bill Huizenga regarding perceived leniency toward Chinese access to high-end semiconductors.