Donald Trump described former NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang as “brilliant,” but said Huang may have been right to resign if allegations that he had an affair with a Chinese spy are confirmed.
Huang stepped down Friday after 33 years at the company he co-founded and helped transform into the most valuable company in the United States.
His departure followed a New York Times report published the previous day alleging that the 63-year-old had an affair with a subordinate, Kimberly Powell.
Trump discussed Huang during an interview with Stephen A. Smith on Thursday in the White House’s Roosevelt Room, reflecting on conversations he had held with the NVIDIA founder since the allegations emerged.
“It’s sad. He’s a tremendous talent. He did something nobody else did. He has a chip that’s so complex, so brilliant, you can’t copy it. What he’s done is incredible. He built an incredible company,” Trump said.
When Smith directly asked whether Huang was right to resign, Trump paused before offering his answer.
“The big thing was, was the woman a spy? If the woman was a spy, yes. If the woman was not a spy, perhaps it would be different,” Trump said.
Trump also offered words of support for Huang, saying the former CEO was “going through hell right now” but would eventually recover from the scandal.
Donald Trump called now former NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang ‘brilliant’ but admitted that he was right to step down if it is confirmed he had an affair with a Chinese spy
Huang and his wife Lori Huang talk to former Apple CEO Tim Cook during a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping held by Trump at the White House on September 24
“Somehow, he’ll end on his feet. I always thought of him as a fine man. He feels most badly about his wife and family,” Trump said.
The interview followed a dinner Trump attended several weeks ago with Smith, Bill Maher and Kid Rock.
Trump again said former Apple CEO Tim Cook should succeed Huang as NVIDIA’s next chief executive.
Huang’s resignation came one day after The New York Times reported that he had allegedly been involved in an affair with subordinate Kimberly Powell.
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A separate report last week alleged that Huang also had an affair with Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based data company Megaspeed. Alice Huang is not related to the former NVIDIA chief and has reportedly been identified as an alleged Chinese spy.
The two alleged affairs sent shock waves through the $4 trillion company, driving down its stock price and prompting questions about whether Huang had been manipulated by the alleged spy.
Reports said Trump was briefed on Huang’s alleged relationship with the suspected spy before Huang was permitted to board a plane, but allowed him to travel anyway.
The allegations triggered an internal investigation at NVIDIA before Huang’s departure. It remains unclear whether his resignation will affect the inquiry.
Trump spoke to Stephen A Smith on Thursday in the Roosevelt Room at the White House and sounded off on his conversations with Huang since the scandal broke
Huang stepped down on Thursday after reports of multiple affairs, one with a subordinate and another with an alleged Chinese spy. Trump said he did a ‘fantastic job’ at the company
Lawmakers are also seeking a clearer account of what happened, particularly regarding the allegations involving the suspected spy.
Although Huang has maintained close ties to Trump, several Republicans have discussed subpoenaing the former NVIDIA CEO as part of their investigation.
“Jensen Huang himself has been a pretty bold, some might even say arrogant promoter, sort of dismissing our concerns about China having access to these most advanced chips,” Republican Senator Kevin Cramer told CNBC on Thursday morning.
“And I do not take that lightly… I would be happy to support a subpoena.”
Republican lawmakers Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party; and Rick Crawford, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, have also backed efforts to subpoena Huang.
The three lawmakers sent Huang a letter last week requesting that he attend a ‘joint, closed-door briefing’ on allegations surrounding his relationship with the suspected Chinese spy.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Huang is expected to cooperate with lawmakers and meet them privately, although it is not known whether his resignation will alter that arrangement.
