FBI Investigation: Trump confirms inquiry into Nvidia CEO ties

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining the relationship between Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and a former colleague accused of working for Chinese intelligence, President Donald Trump said Monday.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated that inquiries had begun but provided limited details on the scope of the review. He expressed confidence in Huang and said the Nvidia executive told him he was unaware the woman was allegedly an intelligence agent. Trump added that he had only recently become aware of the specific concerns surrounding the relationship, though he had read some coverage over a period of time.

Nvidia announced an independent investigation on Sunday after media reports cited US intelligence allegations that Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed, had worked for China’s Ministry of State Security. The company stated that outside counsel would oversee the inquiry and consider all available information. Alice Huang, who is not related to Jensen Huang, has not made a public comment on the allegations.

The company’s board said it had no reason to believe the relationship compromised national security or company secrets. In a separate statement, Jensen Huang apologized to his family, colleagues, and shareholders. He committed to cooperating fully with the board’s investigation.

The disclosures followed reports published last week by The New York Times and The Financial Times. Those reports said unnamed US officials had prepared a memo alleging that Alice Huang targeted the Nvidia executive for intelligence gathering.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claims on Monday, describing them as baseless speculation intended to damage China’s reputation. Nvidia did not immediately answer a request for comment on the developments.

Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, holds an estimated 80 to 90 percent market share for graphics-processing units used in frontier artificial intelligence models. The world’s second-most valuable company, with a market capitalization exceeding $4.30 trillion, saw its shares decline 4.27 percent on Monday, ending the session at $178.67.