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President Donald Trump expressed support for Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, amid an investigation into his relationship with a suspected Chinese spy. Trump described Huang as an "amazing guy" and stated that he believes Huang is "suffering a lot" after the relationship became public. Trump said Huang assured him he had no idea the woman was a spy, according to The Guardian.
Nvidia's board has launched an independent investigation following reports that Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The company stated it has "no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised," as reported by Bloomberg.
Huang admitted to having an affair with Alice Huang, a businesswoman suspected of spying for the Chinese government. The affair has led to a 4.3% drop in Nvidia's stock, erasing nearly $200 billion in market value. The Yahoo Finance reported that the company's board is working with outside counsel to investigate the matter.
The scandal has prompted calls for congressional oversight, with some Republicans requesting Huang to brief Congress on his interactions with Alice Huang. Meanwhile, the FBI is reportedly looking into the issue, but Trump believes Huang will be in "good shape."
The situation could impact the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit on November 18, where Trump is scheduled to attend. The affair may also influence the Multilateral Alignment of Technology Controls on Hardware (MATCH) Act, which aims to tighten export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Despite the controversy, Nvidia's head of public policy communications, John Rizzo, stated that the company will continue its operations without interruption, and Huang remains committed to leading Nvidia as CEO.