US President Donald Trump threw his weight behind Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Sunday night, insisting the tech titan must stay in charge despite an internal corporate inquiry into Huang's contacts with an alleged Chinese intelligence operative.
The vote of confidence arrived at a precarious hour. Nvidia’s board of directors launched an internal probe over the weekend after Huang acknowledged an extramarital affair with a business executive whom US intelligence agencies had flagged for gathering intelligence on behalf of Beijing. Trump stood by his ally.
"I have not spoken to him about it. I just know he’s a fine person, but you never know what is going on," Trump told reporters. He praised Huang as an "honourable guy" who made an "amazing contribution" to the United States.
Huang moved swiftly to address the fallout internally. In a direct letter sent to the company’s global workforce, the 63-year-old founder took personal responsibility for the breach of conduct and apologised to his family and staff. "Leading Nvidia is the privilege of my life," Huang wrote. "My responsibility is to serve you and be worthy of your trust. I have fallen short of that responsibility."
Nvidia’s board attempted to draw a firm line between Huang’s personal missteps and the company's proprietary technology. In an official notice, directors stated they have found "no reason to believe" that corporate intellectual property or national security secrets were compromised. Huang agreed to cooperate fully with investigators as the board reviews all relevant communications.
He will not step aside.
"Today’s news will not slow Nvidia," company spokesperson John Rizzo stated, confirming Huang will steer day-to-day operations without disruption while the review proceeds.
Beijing fired back immediately. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun dismissed the accusations as fabricated geopolitical rhetoric during a press briefing.
"We have already responded to this," Jiakun stated. "The so-called claim of ‘Chinese spies’ is completely groundless and is nothing but a smear against China."
The semiconductor leader now balances an active internal governance probe against intense international scrutiny, with the board's findings set to determine whether executive safeguards require an overhaul.