Daniel Wolfram
Jensen Huang admist to having an affair as company launches internal security probe. Meanwhile, Donald Trump defends the tech titan.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang revealed on Sunday that he had an affair with a suspected Chinese spy.
In a written statement, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife of four decades. “There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” Huang wrote.
The affair has the potential to be one of the biggest scandals in tech history and the possible implications are endless.
A secret affair with a suspected spy
Nvidia’s independent board members quickly launched an internal inquiry with outside legal counsel to examine the security implications.
However, Huang refuses to step down as CEO of the company. A company spokesperson told The New York Times that Huang will remain in his role as chief executive while the investigation runs its course.
Suspicions first surfaced when The Times reported that spy agencies had tracked Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore firm Megaspeed. Officials believed she shared sensitive intelligence with Beijing. Chinese diplomats dismissed the espionage claims as “groundless smears and slanders.”
A secret tech war
American regulators had already zeroed in on Megaspeed over concerns that it illegally funneled Nvidia processors into China. Just weeks earlier, Huang told Bloomberg that his dealings with the executive were professional, noting that “it was all completely normal and not unusual.”
Nvidia is riding high on the artificial intelligence boom, posting $96.2 billion in revenue during its latest quarter. Yet strict export rules have diminished its regional reach. Having seen local market share drop from 95 percent to zero, Huang previously called missing out on revenue in China a “tremendous loss.”
Instead, Nvidia turned its attention to the White House to court favor with the Trump administration. According to The Washington Post, the firm contributed $25 million toward a controversial White House ballroom project pushed by President Donald Trump.
Trump defends Huang
Last night on the news program 60 Minutes, Trump was asked about Jensen Huang’s affair and the fallout of a potential Chinese spy scandal.
Trump pushed aside the concerns, telling the interviewer that he thinks that “he probably has an excuse for it […] I haven’t heard he’s done anything wrong. He dealt with somebody, but you know, so does everybody else.”
Trump doubled down and pledged his support for Huang continuing as Nvidia’s CEO, calling him an “honorable guy.” He even stated that he would bring him on an upcoming trip to China for a finance convention.
