The investigation and Trump's remarks
US President Donald Trump said Monday that the FBI is examining the relationship between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and a woman described as an alleged agent of the Chinese government. Speaking at a White House briefing, Trump said he believed the CEO, a central figure in the development of artificial intelligence, had no reason to worry, and explained that he had personally spoken with him to check on him. According to the president, Huang told him he did not know that the person in question was a spy.
The affair, reported by the source, came to light suddenly and shook the US political class and technology sector, fueling questions about whether China could have gained access to high-end chips designed by Nvidia. The president's direct involvement in a counterintelligence investigation is presented as an extraordinary step, a sign of his personal relationship with Huang and of the geopolitical stakes.
The admission, the internal investigation and the reactions
Huang acknowledged the relationship and published an open letter on Nvidia's website apologizing to his wife and the company. In the same text, he said he supported the investigation and wanted to cooperate fully, stating that he loved the country and the company and was committed to protecting Nvidia and US national security. Nvidia announced Sunday that it had launched an independent investigation into reports that its CEO had been the target of a foreign intelligence operation.
The case has drawn congressional attention: Democrats Mark Warner and Hakeem Jeffries have signaled their intention to look into it further, and Jeffries said the issue came up in a closed-door session with the CIA director and the director of National Intelligence, devoted mainly to Iran. The lawmaker called for a full briefing to establish what happened and the national security implications.
Beijing's denials, the market and the open questions
Beijing on Monday denied any attempt to involve Huang: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun called the espionage accusation baseless and aimed at denigrating China. The newspaper Global Times, cited by the source, argued that such revelations come when Sino-US relations are beginning to improve.
In the market, Nvidia shares fell more than 4 percent on Monday and about 11 percent since the previous Wednesday. Several points remain to be verified: the source reports that the FBI has neither confirmed nor detailed the investigation; that Megaspeed and Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs did not respond to requests for comment; and that it is unclear whether Trump will address the case with Xi Jinping at the next APEC summit. It has also not been established whether the inquiry will lead to formal charges. The source quotes lawyer George Chen: the key questions concern Huang's awareness of any espionage activity and the possible compromise of confidential information, questions that require evidence and not speculation.
