WASHINGTON — Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang stepped down as chief executive officer on Thursday, ending a 33-year tenure at the semiconductor powerhouse amid intense scrutiny over extramarital affairs and Chinese intelligence links.
The shock exit stripped Silicon Valley of its most recognizable artificial intelligence champion. Hours after Nvidia’s board confirmed Huang's resignation, US President Donald Trump weighed in during a broadcast on the Salem News Channel, calling the controversy a tragedy for American industry.
"Well, we gave it to Jensen, frankly, that was a little before — but what a horrible thing that is, that's so sad to see that happen," Trump said.
The crisis intensified following revelations that Huang maintained an extramarital relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman scrutinized by US intelligence agencies for alleged ties to Beijing’s state espionage apparatus. In an internal letter circulated to Nvidia staff, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and offered a direct apology for violating family trust.
Company disclosures also detailed a concurrent personal relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare. Because Powell reported directly to Huang, the arrangement ran afoul of internal corporate governance mandates that require senior personnel to avoid conflicts of interest.
Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993, engineering its evolution from a niche graphics hardware maker into the world's preeminent supplier of high-end artificial intelligence processing silicon. His abrupt departure forced Nvidia's board to appoint Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive officer while an executive committee launches a global search for a permanent successor.
Trump offered his own unilateral solution on Truth Social, urging Apple executive chairman Tim Cook to step into the vacancy.
NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who has done a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man to take his place
TIM COOK of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend!" — Donald Trump, US President
Nvidia’s governance apparatus offered no public response to Trump’s endorsement.
Beyond corporate personnel moves, Huang's departure collided squarely with escalating technology friction between Washington and Beijing. During his Thursday remarks, Trump addressed Chinese intelligence gathering, asserting that digital espionage between the world’s two largest superpowers is an active, bilateral conflict.
"You know, it's not just a one-sided deal," Trump said. "Somebody said, 'Oh, they're tapping our phones.' I said, 'That's right, we're tapping their phones too. So, you know, I just don't want them to think we're a bunch of babies that don't know what's going on.'"
Trump also linked the episode to the rapid ascent of computational hardware, characterizing next-generation models as "super intelligence."
"The level of importance to SI, the super intelligence, is really beyond, actually beyond belief," Trump added, reiterating that his perspective on advanced technologies was shaped in part by his uncle, who taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
| Executive Transition Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Departing Executive | Jensen Huang (Co-founder & CEO) |
| Tenure | 33 Years (1993–2026) |
| Interim Leadership | Colette Kress (Chief Financial Officer) |
| Governance Breaches | Undisclosed reporting-line relationship, espionage review |
| Board Mandate | Active search for permanent Chief Executive Officer |
Nvidia’s board of directors is scheduled to meet with senior institutional stakeholders this week to formalize the timeline for hiring a permanent chief executive.