Trump calls Nvidia’s Huang ‘honorable guy’ after affair

President Donald Trump publicly backed Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Sunday, Nov. 8, hours after Huang admitted to an extramarital affair with a woman U.S. intelligence reportedly suspects was a Chinese spy. "I think he's an honorable guy," Trump told reporters, according to Business Insider. "I think he probably has an excuse for it. You have to hear it."businessinsider.com

The remarks put the president firmly behind one of his most prominent corporate allies. Nvidia has opened an investigation into whether Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence operation, and lawmakers in Washington want answers.

Trump's comments

Reporters asked Trump whether he wished he had acted on intelligence about the relationship when he was briefed on it. "No, I don't think so," he said, before praising Huang, Reuters reported. He said he had not spoken to Huang about the matter. He added that Huang had done "an amazing job for our country" and should stay on as Nvidia's chief executive, according to Business Insider. Asked whether he would take Huang on his trip to Asia next week, Trump said, "I don't know, but I'd certainly take him." The Associated Press noted that Huang sits on Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.fidelity.com+2

Secretary of State Marco Rubio would not discuss the case. "I just can't comment because of the nature of it," he said, according to the AP.wtrf.com

Board probe and Huang's apology

Huang wrote in a memo to employees: "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," according to Politico. The memo did not name the woman. Nvidia's board said a committee of independent directors, working with outside counsel, would lead the investigation. It added that it had "no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised," CBC reported. Huang will remain CEO while the review is underway, according to Al Jazeera.politico.com+2

The spy allegations

The case traces back to a New York Times report in late October. According to that report, U.S. officials concluded that Alice Huang, an executive linked to Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, was a Chinese intelligence asset who built a close relationship with the Nvidia chief, Politico reported. The two are not related. The Times reported that Megaspeed bought more than $4.8 billion worth of Nvidia chips over two years, according to the AP. Huang had earlier called it a "normal" business relationship, Business Insider noted.businessinsider.com+2

Congress is also looking into the matter. The Republican chairs of the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and China committees have asked Huang to attend a closed-door briefing on Nov. 18. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said that "NVIDIA's Jensen Huang and NVIDIA's board owe Congress answers," according to Politico.politico.com