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President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he had spoken by phone with Jensen Huang, who denied any knowledge that the woman with whom he had an affair was involved in espionage. “I asked him that question, ‘Did you have any idea she was a spy?’ He said ‘I had no idea she was a spy’ and I really believe him,” Trump said, adding that the FBI was now looking into the matter without providing further details on the scope or timing of any inquiry. The president described Huang as an “honourable guy” who had done an “amazing job” and suggested he expected the executive to remain in his role. According to a Reuters dispatch, Trump expressed that he was “amazed” by the allegations despite having been briefed on related intelligence roughly a year earlier.
The New York Times reported last month that US authorities had concluded Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le and a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed International, was a Chinese intelligence asset who funneled information to Beijing. The newspaper said Trump received a briefing on the matter from then officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had sent a memo warning about the Nvidia chief’s close relationship with the woman. Megaspeed, which has purchased more than 4.8 billion dollars worth of Nvidia chips in the past two years, faced separate scrutiny over suspicions it diverted restricted AI technology to China in violation of US export controls, though both the company and Nvidia previously denied any wrongdoing. A separate Reuters account noted that photographs showed the pair together at events in Taipei, California and Shanghai since at least 2024.
Nvidia announced on November 8 that its board had formed a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, to investigate whether its chief executive had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. “While the Board has no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, the Board’s inquiry will examine all available information,” the company said in a statement that stressed its commitment to US national and economic security. In a message to employees, the 63-year-old Huang acknowledged he had been unfaithful to his wife, apologised to his family and the company, and pledged full cooperation with the review while affirming his commitment to protecting Nvidia and American interests. The board expressed confidence in Huang and his leadership team.
Nvidia shares fell more than 4 percent on November 9, erasing approximately 250 billion dollars in market value, according to trading data compiled by Reuters. The decline came as the episode cast a spotlight on the future of the world’s most valuable chipmaker and its central role in the global AI boom, where Huang has served as the industry’s most visible advocate. Analysts cited in a Guardian report suggested the probe could pose risks to Huang’s position, even as the company has no dual-class share structure that would grant him majority voting control. The episode unfolded against Nvidia’s rapid growth, which has seen it supply critical components for artificial intelligence systems worldwide.
China rejected the allegations outright, with foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun describing the Chinese spy narrative as “purely a groundless accusation, slander, and a smear.” The foreign ministry’s comments, reported by Reuters, came as Beijing prepared for diplomatic engagements including a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment on the matter when questioned by reporters before departing for a G7 meeting in Paris. Trump himself indicated he had not raised the issue directly with Chinese officials at that point.
The case has highlighted longstanding US-China tensions over advanced semiconductor technology, with Washington imposing strict limits on exports of high-end AI chips to prevent military applications in China. A PBS News analysis drawing on the New York Times reporting outlined how Megaspeed’s activities had drawn regulatory attention well before the personal relationship surfaced, including last year’s claims of illicit shipments that the firm denied. Trump awarded Huang the nation’s highest civilian honour for scientific achievement in October, underscoring the executive’s standing with the administration even after the earlier intelligence briefing. Huang’s letter to staff reiterated his love for the United States and Nvidia while emphasising his intent to safeguard both.
