Trump confirms Huang call, uncertain whether linked woman is spy
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump confirmed he spoke with Jensen Huang, NVIDIA co-founder, on Wednesday. However, he said he was unsure whether a Chinese businesswoman linked to controversies surrounding Huang was a spy. The remarks come as new reports have surfaced about Huang's alleged relationships with several women, intensifying scrutiny over his exit from the tech giant.
Relationship revelations
Huang's alleged affairs under scrutiny
Huang is said to have had an affair with another employee, as per a report by Reuters.
This comes after reports of two other alleged extramarital affairs involving Huang, which have put his personal conduct and the company's leadership under scrutiny.
The reported relationships include Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman believed by US intelligence officials to be connected with Chinese intelligence services, and Kimberly Powell, NVIDIA's vice president of healthcare.
Leadership discussion
Trump praises NVIDIA, suggests Apple CEO as potential successor
Trump praised NVIDIA's technological achievements, calling its chips products of extraordinary innovation that are nearly impossible to replicate.
He accused China and other countries of copying and pirating technology.
The US President also speculated about Apple CEO Tim Cook as a possible successor for Huang at NVIDIA, praising Cook's role in building Apple into a global business powerhouse.
Board statement
NVIDIA board thanks Huang amid controversy
NVIDIA's board thanked Huang for his "immeasurable contributions to the company and the industry" in a statement announcing his resignation.
However, they did not mention the alleged conduct.
The controversy first came to light after reports of Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman and executive at Megaspeed, one of NVIDIA's major customers.
Resignation news
Alice Huang identified in Jensen's letter to employees
According to The Wall Street Journal, Alice Huang was the woman mentioned in a letter Jensen Huang sent to NVIDIA employees, admitting infidelity and apologizing for breaching his wife's trust.
Jensen co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 and turned it into one of the world's leading suppliers of artificial intelligence chips, making him a key figure in the global AI industry.