Overview
- The bureau’s backlog has reached its highest level in over three decades, leaving thousands of export license applications unresolved
- No licenses have been issued for Nvidia’s H20 AI chip shipments to China despite prior government assurances, putting billions of dollars of orders at risk
- Undersecretary Jeffrey Kessler’s stringent communication rules and micromanagement have driven experienced staff departures and buyouts
- Critical export control positions remain vacant, including China-based officers, undermining the bureau’s capacity to process sensitive technology applications
- Industry groups warn that ongoing delays threaten U.S. competitiveness as foreign buyers seek alternative suppliers