Senator Elizabeth Warren has sent a formal letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick requesting documents and communications related to Bitmain, the Chinese company that manufactures a significant portion of the world’s Bitcoin mining hardware. The letter, sent on Thursday and reported by Bloomberg on Friday, asks the Commerce Department to clarify how it is addressing potential national security risks tied to the firm. Warren also seeks details on any communications between Bitmain, the Trump family, and Commerce officials. She further asks what steps the department has taken to protect national security decisions from political influence.
Bitmain has been under federal scrutiny since at least November of last year, when reports emerged that US authorities had launched a formal investigation into the company. The probe, referred to as Operation Red Sunset and led by the US Department of Homeland Security, was designed to examine whether Bitmain’s ASIC machines could be remotely accessed for espionage purposes or used to interfere with the US power grid. According to Bloomberg, the investigation remains unresolved, and its current status is not publicly known. National security probes of this nature can continue for years without public disclosure or resulting in legal action.
The concerns surrounding Bitmain extend beyond the ongoing probe. US authorities previously halted shipments of Bitmain devices, and a separate investigation was launched into a related Chinese chip company over alleged ties to sanctioned firm Huawei. In 2024, a federal review flagged the use of Bitmain machines near a US military base as raising significant national security concerns. These actions collectively reflect a pattern of heightened government attention toward the company’s operations within the United States.
Despite the scrutiny, Bitmain has continued to expand its footprint in the American market. Bloomberg reported in July of last year that the company is preparing to open its first US-based ASIC manufacturing facility. Chip production at the site is expected to begin in early 2026 and scale up by the end of that year. The planned facility represents a notable step for a company that has faced repeated questions about its relationship with US national security interests.
Bitmain’s equipment is widely used across American Bitcoin mining operations, including by American Bitcoin Corp., which counts Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. among its investors. The firm agreed last year to acquire 16,000 Bitmain rigs in a deal valued at $314 million. This connection between Bitmain’s hardware and investors linked to the Trump family forms part of the backdrop to Warren’s inquiry into potential political influence over national security decisions. Neither Warren’s office nor Bitmain had responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
