President Trump urged Jensen Huang to fight to remain Nvidia’s chief executive before Huang resigned amid reports of multiple extramarital affairs, The New York Times reported on Thursday, November 12. The newspaper attributed its account of the call to two people briefed on the conversation.
Huang’s departure from one of the world’s most valuable companies followed reports that included an affair with a woman suspected of being a spy for the Chinese government. The resignation surprised people across politics and technology, where Huang had developed a close relationship with Trump during the artificial intelligence boom.
Trump confirmed during a Thursday interview with sports commentator Stephen A. Smith that he had spoken with Huang on Wednesday. Describing the situation as sad, Trump said Huang was struggling and was particularly concerned about the effect on his family. “He’s going through hell,” Trump told Smith.
Asked whether Huang should have resigned, Trump linked his answer to the unresolved question of whether the woman was working as a Chinese spy. He said he did not know whether that had been established. Trump told Smith that if she was a spy, he believed Huang should have stepped down.
The turmoil surrounding Huang’s resignation and the reports of affairs has also coincided with losses for Nvidia in the market. The company’s shares fell more than 13 percent over the past five days, as the departure of its chief executive added to the controversy surrounding his personal relationships.
Huang’s ties to Trump grew as demand for Nvidia’s powerful chips rose sharply with the expansion of artificial intelligence. At the end of 2025, Trump changed his position and permitted Nvidia to sell its H200 chips to China, a decision that represented a significant victory for the company.
The reported relationship with the suspected spy has brought national security concerns into the dispute. Lawmakers from both parties have called for congressional scrutiny of Huang’s relationship and restrictions on Chinese access to advanced chips. Democrats have also sought investigations into what Trump knew about the matter.
The Times had previously reported that Trump received repeated warnings about Huang’s closeness to the woman suspected of spying. According to that account, Trump apparently took no action in response and went ahead with allowing the chip sales to China.
