Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admitted to an extramarital affair with a woman suspected of being a Chinese government spy, according to reports from Yahoo and Nypost.
The revelation has triggered an internal investigation by Nvidia’s board of directors and prompted federal authorities to examine whether the relationship allowed the Chinese government to access sensitive artificial intelligence technology or company secrets.
Trump defends Huang amid FBI probe
President Donald Trump spoke with Huang on Monday to check on his well-being following the disclosure, NBC News reported.
Trump stated that Huang told him he had no knowledge that the woman was an intelligence asset. He said he had absolutely no idea that the person in question was a spy, and I really believe him,
Trump told reporters at the White House, Nypost.
While acknowledging the FBI is investigating the matter, the president expressed confidence in the CEO. I know the FBI is looking into it, in terms of something else, and I think that he’ll be in good shape,
Trump said, NBC News reported.
Trump characterized Huang as a fine person
and an amazing guy
who should remain the leader of the chipmaker, NBC News reported. Trump also noted that he had not spoken to Huang regarding the affair specifically on November 8, according to NBC News.
The president’s defense follows a history of close contact between the two men. A source told Nypost that the two have become good friends, and Huang, who is 63, has reportedly bragged about this relationship to others.
Huang has previously been a regular at White House events, including an appearance in the Oval Office in July during an announcement regarding Dulles airport expansion. He also traveled with the president to China in May, a trip during which the president said he did not hear about the affair at that time, according to Nypost.
Investigation into Megaspeed and chip smuggling
The New York Times reported that the two were photographed together at a bar in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2024, around the same time Megaspeed began its push into the AI sector.
This follows a previous effort by the Commerce Department last year to seek information regarding an investigation into the company. The matter was subsequently transferred to the Department of Justice.
The investigation focuses on whether Megaspeed’s activities violated strict U.S. regulations concerning the shipment of artificial intelligence computer chips to customers in China, NBC News reported.
China denies espionage allegations
The Chinese government has dismissed the claims of a spying plot involving the Nvidia executive. The state-owned Global Times suggested the reporting by the New York Times might have been intended to destabilize relations between the U.S. and China, stating, Whenever China-US relations begin to improve, there are often those firing shots from the shadows.
Nvidia’s board of directors issued a statement noting they are initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort,
NBC News reported. The board emphasized that it prioritizes US national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders,
NBC News reported.
However, the board stated they currently have no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised,
Aol reported.
Nvidia shares fall amid investigation volatility
The news of the investigation has caused significant volatility for Nvidia’s stock. On Monday morning, shares fell 5 percent, Oregonlive reported.
The recent instability follows a period of high volatility. On November 5, the stock plunged 9 percent in a single day, which resulted in a $15.1 billion drop in Huang’s paper net worth and briefly affected his standing on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Aol reported.
Lawmakers demand oversight of AI companies
The situation has drawn attention from lawmakers. In a joint statement, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Representative Jim Banks of Indiana said that Congress should take decisive action
regarding the oversight of companies linked to AI. They wrote that the disclosures made by Huang and Nvidia make national security concerns more urgent and raise questions that the company must address, NBC News reported.
Huang’s apology to employees
In a note to staff sent on November 8 and posted on CNBC, Jensen Huang addressed his infidelity and expressed regret for the impact on his family. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did,
Huang stated, Yahoo reported.
I take full responsibility for what I did and the hurt I caused, and I accept the criticism that comes with it,
Huang wrote, Yahoo reported.
Huang, an American citizen born in Taiwan who founded Nvidia in 1993, is working to rebuild trust with his family and his company, Yahoo reported. He and his wife, Lori, previously donated $50 million in 2022 toward the construction of the Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Learning Center, a supercomputing research center in Corvallis that is expected to open next year, Oregonlive reported.