Trump says ex-Nvidia CEO Huang is ‘going through hell’

President Donald Trump said Jensen Huang is "going through hell" after resigning as Nvidia's chief executive. Trump said Huang is most upset about the harm his extramarital affairs have done to his wife and children. Trump made the comments in a podcast interview with Stephen A. Smith on Thursday, Nov. 12, the same day the chipmaker announced Huang's departure.independent.co.uk

"I always thought of him as a fine man. I spoke to him yesterday," Trump said. "He's going through hell. What he feels most badly about is hurting his wife and family". Trump referred to a conversation from the day before Huang resigned, not after it.us.cnn.com+1

Calls urging him to stay

The New York Times reported that Trump called Huang on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and urged him to fight to keep his job. That call came after Huang publicly apologized for being unfaithful to his wife. CNN reported that Trump spoke with Huang by phone several times during the week, according to a person familiar with the calls. Trump asked how Huang was doing and encouraged him to resist calls to step down.cnbc.com+1

Asked whether Huang should have resigned, Trump said the key question was whether the woman involved was a spy, and that this had not yet been determined. "If the woman was a spy, yes. If the woman was not a spy, perhaps it would be different," he said. On Truth Social, Trump also said Tim Cook of Apple should take over Nvidia.independent.co.uk+1

A week of scandal

On Thursday, Nvidia's board said Huang had resigned as president, CEO and director. Chief financial officer Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor. Huang's exit followed his Nov. 8 admission of an affair believed to involve Alice Huang, who is alleged to be a Chinese spy. Later reports said he also had relationships with Nvidia executive Kimberly Powell and a second, unnamed employee. Nvidia shares fell sharply on Thursday and recovered some ground on Friday.finance.yahoo.com+1

Pressure from Congress

Three House committees have asked Huang to sit for a closed-door interview. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott has asked Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify about national security concerns. Scott wants Huang to appear on Dec. 3 and has warned that the committee could issue a subpoena.us.cnn.com+1

Trump said he had asked Huang directly whether he knew Alice Huang was a spy. "He said, 'I had no idea that she was a spy,' and I really believe him," Trump said.independent.co.uk