US President Donald Trump has defended Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang amid the controversy surrounding his reported relationships with multiple women, including a Chinese businesswoman suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence. Calling Huang a 'tremendous talent', Trump praised his technological achievements but questioned whether the woman at the centre of the allegations had actually been established as a spy.
Speaking on the Straight Shooter podcast, Trump described Nvidia’s chips as exceptionally advanced products that other countries would struggle to replicate. He also accused China and others of copying and pirating technology.
“Well, he’s a tremendous talent. He did something that nobody else, you know, you have China and these people, they copy. They pirate so much. Here’s a chip that’s so complex, so brilliant that you can’t copy it,” Trump said, praising Huang’s contribution to the company.
Trump revealed that he had spoken to Huang the previous day and described him as a fine man. He claimed the Nvidia chief was particularly concerned about the impact of the controversy on his wife and family. “I spoke to him yesterday. He’s going through hell. What he feels most badly about is his wife and family. That’s what he really told me,” Trump said.
Trump Questions Whether Chinese Businesswoman Was A Spy
Addressing the allegations involving Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang, Trump said it was unclear whether she had been confirmed as a spy. “The big thing is, was the woman a spy? And I don’t know if that’s been determined yet. But if the woman was a spy, yes. If the woman was not a spy, perhaps it would be different,” he said.
The New York Times reported that Jensen Huang, 63, had an affair with Alice Huang and that China’s main intelligence agency had recruited her to gather information on him. US officials reportedly suspect that Megaspeed, a Singapore-based company where she held a senior position, helped smuggle restricted chips into China.
Reuters separately reported an allegation of an intimate relationship involving another Nvidia employee, citing two people familiar with the matter. Nvidia vice-president of healthcare Kimberly Powell has also been named in reports.
Trump Floats Tim Cook As Nvidia Successor
Trump also suggested that Apple CEO Tim Cook could be a potential candidate to lead Nvidia, praising his business leadership. “Anybody can be replaced. So it’s very hard to replace him. But I had an idea this morning that I sort of just released. Tim Cook, he just sort of semi-retired from Apple. He’s done one of the greatest jobs in the history of business. I think Tim Cook would be a great candidate to run Nvidia,” he said.
Trump credited Cook with turning Apple’s innovations and designs into a global business success. He also suggested the company might not have achieved its current stature had co-founder Steve Jobs remained alive.
Nvidia Leadership Under Scrutiny
The remarks come amid reports of uncertainty over Huang’s future. Nvidia’s board reportedly held a lengthy meeting on Wednesday and announced his resignation. Its statement did not mention the allegations, instead describing his contributions as “profound” and thanking him for his “immeasurable contributions to the company and the industry.”
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