Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang amid mounting scrutiny over his reported relationship with a woman suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence, describing the tech executive as an “honourable guy” and expressing confidence that he should continue leading the semiconductor giant.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had not personally discussed the controversy with Huang but praised his contributions to the United States, saying the Nvidia chief had done an “incredible job” for the country.
“I have not spoken to him about it. I just know he’s a fine person, but you never know what is going on. I’m sure — I hope everything’s fine there. He’s done such an incredible job, so I would certainly hope… he’s a fine person, in my opinion,” Trump said.
Asked whether he regretted not intervening earlier after intelligence agencies reportedly briefed officials about the suspected foreign intelligence operation, Trump defended his position, saying Huang deserved an opportunity to explain the allegations.
“No, I don’t think so. I think, you know, I think he’s an honourable guy. I think he probably has an excuse for it, you know, and you have to hear it. No, you can’t do that with people… He’s done an amazing job for our country,” Trump said.
When asked whether he expected Huang to remain CEO of Nvidia, Trump responded, “I think so. Sure.”
Trump’s remarks come as Nvidia’s board of directors has launched an independent investigation into reports that Huang was allegedly targeted by a foreign intelligence operation involving a woman suspected of working for China.
The company’s board said the investigation would be overseen by a committee of independent directors, assisted by external legal counsel. The inquiry will examine available information surrounding the allegations and assess whether any sensitive corporate or national security information was exposed.
In a statement, Nvidia said it had no reason to believe that its proprietary technology or classified information had been compromised.
“The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort,” the company said.
It added that protecting US national and economic security remained central to the interests of the company and its shareholders.
Nvidia also confirmed that Huang had welcomed the investigation and agreed to cooperate fully with the review.
“Jensen fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it. The Board has confidence in Jensen and his leadership team and will provide further updates as appropriate,” the statement added.
The controversy intensified after Fox News reported that Huang had acknowledged an extramarital relationship with a technology executive suspected by US intelligence officials of having connections to Chinese intelligence.
According to the network, Huang addressed the matter in an internal message to Nvidia employees, admitting that his actions had hurt his family.
“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did,” Huang reportedly wrote.
Separately, three Republican committee chairs in the US House of Representatives on Friday sought answers from Huang over his reported links to the Chinese businesswoman, who is suspected of passing information to Beijing.
According to Axios, the lawmakers requested that the Nvidia chief address the matter in a closed-door meeting as scrutiny grows over the potential national security implications of the reported relationship.
The allegations have placed renewed attention on the intersection of national security, corporate leadership and the growing strategic importance of Nvidia’s semiconductor technology amid Washington’s broader concerns over China’s access to advanced artificial intelligence chips.
