Senator Elizabeth Warren has requested the U.S. Commerce Department provide details on its handling of national security concerns regarding Chinese crypto mining firm Bitmain. The inquiry follows a previously reported federal investigation into whether Bitmain‘s Bitcoin mining equipment poses risks to national security, including potential espionage or disruption of the U.S. power grid. Bitmain machines are also used by Trump-linked mining company American Bitcoin Corp.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked the U.S. Commerce Department to explain its handling of potential national security risks tied to Chinese crypto mining giant Bitmain. Warren requested documents and communications related to the firm in a letter sent Thursday to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
In November last year, U.S. authorities launched an investigation, known as “Operation Red Sunset,” into Bitmain. The probe aimed to examine whether the firm’s ASIC machines could be remotely accessed for espionage or used to disrupt the U.S. power grid. The investigation remains unresolved, and its current status is unclear.
The scrutiny follows earlier actions, including halted shipments of Bitmain devices and a separate probe into a related Chinese chip firm. In 2024, a federal review flagged the use of its machines near a U.S. military base as raising “significant national security concerns.”
Bitmain is preparing to open its first U.S.-based ASIC manufacturing facility. Chip production is expected to begin in early 2026 and scale by year-end.
Bitmain‘s machines are widely used in Bitcoin mining operations, including by American Bitcoin Corp. That firm, which counts Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. among its investors, agreed last year to acquire 16,000 Bitmain rigs in a $314 million deal.
Warren’s letter also seeks details on any communications between Bitmain, the Trump family, and Commerce officials. It asks what steps the department has taken to shield national security decisions from political influence.
