U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Friday called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch a formal investigation into TuSimple Holdings, a Chinese autonomous trucking company.
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Hawley urged scrutiny of the company for potential violations of U.S. export controls, the unauthorized transfer of sensitive technology to the People’s Republic of China, and related national security breaches.
Senator Hawley’s concerns stem from what he described as “recent investigative reports” suggesting that TuSimple systematically shared proprietary data, source code, and autonomous driving technologies with Chinese state-linked entities. He alleged this occurred in “blatant disregard” of a 2022 national security agreement the company made with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
“According to recent investigative reports, TuSimple systematically shared proprietary data, source code, and autonomous driving technologies with Chinese state-linked entities,” Hawley wrote. He further highlighted that these reports allegedly “revealed communications from TuSimple personnel inside China requesting the shipment of sensitive Nvidia AI chips and detailed records showing ‘deep and longstanding ties’ with Chinese military-affiliated manufacturers.”
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The Senator expressed strong concern that “To date, TuSimple has not faced serious consequences for sharing American intellectual property with China.”
In his letter, Hawley emphasized the gravity of the potential infractions: “If the reports about TuSimple are accurate, they represent not just a violation of export law, but a breach of national trust and a direct threat to American technological leadership. The American people deserve to know how and why a supposedly U.S.-based company was allowed to serve as a conduit for the transfer of sensitive innovations to the Chinese Communist Party.”
Hawley pressed Attorney General Bondi for swift action, stating, “I urge the Department to act swiftly and without hesitation. Any individual or entity found to have violated our laws must be held fully accountable.”
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The letter posed several specific questions for the DOJ to consider during its potential investigation, including:
- Whether TuSimple provided protected information to affiliated Chinese entities like Hydron, Foton, or BAIC Group.
- What steps the DOJ has taken regarding Bot Auto, a new Texas-based self-driving truck company with former TuSimple employees and Chinese backing, to prevent similar behavior.
- Details regarding TuSimple’s national security agreement with CFIUS, including the activities covered and infractions leading to a reported $6 million settlement.
- An inquiry into the adequacy of “national security agreements” for controlling high-risk companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
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