WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump defended Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang following reports of his ties to a woman suspected of spying for China. “I think he’s an honorable guy,” Trump said, Euronews reported on Monday, Nov. 9. Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld told TechCrunch that Huang’s chances of salvaging his career are “about a 50-50.”
Related: Nvidia Board Opens Independent Investigation After Reports CEO Jensen Huang Was a Spy Target.
What Trump said
Trump said he had not spoken to Huang about the allegations and called him a fine person who has done an incredible job, according to Euronews. Asked whether he regretted not acting earlier on intelligence about the relationship, Trump said he thought Huang probably has an explanation.
Where the allegations stand
Huang has acknowledged an affair with a Megaspeed executive whom U.S. officials suspect of gathering information for Beijing. No one has been charged, and a Chinese Embassy spokesperson dismissed the allegations in late October, TechCrunch reported. The New York Times reported that intelligence officials briefed Trump about their concerns a year ago, according to TechCrunch, and that some unnamed administration officials doubt Huang could have remained unaware. Those accounts are unconfirmed.
Sonnenfeld’s assessment
Sonnenfeld, of the Yale School of Management, called the episode remarkably poor judgment but said Huang’s career is salvageable, particularly if he can prove he was duped. That is one expert’s view.
TechCrunch said succession is hard to map because Huang has kept Nvidia flat, with about 60 direct reports by his own account. Nvidia also invests widely in AI companies and has signed preliminary agreements with major financial firms, which is why the stakes reach beyond the company.
What happens next
Nvidia’s independent directors are overseeing the board’s review, and House chairmen have asked Huang for a Nov. 18 briefing. More is on our Artificial Intelligence page.
Sources
- Euronews: Trump calls Nvidia chief Jensen Huang an ‘honorable guy’ amid spy allegations
- TechCrunch: Is Jensen Huang’s job on the line? Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld estimates it’s “about a 50-50”
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