Trump urged Nvidia CEO to stay until days before his exit

US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Tuesday, encouraging him to fight for his role. The conversation took place just two days before Huang was compelled to leave his position following a scandal involving suspected espionage and disclosures of extramarital affairs, according to a report from The New York Times published Thursday.

The report, citing two individuals briefed on the call, indicates that the president maintained his defense of Huang until the final moments. This support persisted despite intelligence assessments that a woman in Huang's romantic orbit had been recruited by Chinese intelligence services. Huang, the co-founder who built Nvidia into the global leader in advanced AI chips, had become a key Silicon Valley ally and technology adviser to the administration.

US intelligence agencies had provided the president with at least two formal warnings regarding Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese national. These agencies assessed that she was recruited by China's State Security Ministry, which manages intelligence operations. The initial alert was delivered late last year, with a follow-up warning arriving in the spring. Despite these notices, the White House took no immediate action and included the Nvidia executive in the president's May visit to China.

On Thursday, Nvidia confirmed that Huang would step down as CEO. The decision followed public revelations about his relationship with the suspected spy and reports of a second alleged romance with Kimberly Powell, the company's vice president of healthcare. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress has been named to serve as the interim chief executive. The woman suspected of espionage worked for a firm in the data center sector, and authorities are reviewing whether advanced chips were transferred to China in breach of export rules.

Although the scandal has intensified, no public evidence has yet emerged proving that Huang personally passed classified information to the Chinese government. The situation has raised significant questions about how the White House managed intelligence concerns tied to a company critical to US technological security, especially during a period of intense competition with Beijing for control of the semiconductor market.

Trump's backing of Huang continued even after the story broke. On Monday, the president said he had asked Huang if he knew the woman was a suspected spy. Huang reportedly replied that he had no such knowledge, a claim the president said he genuinely believed. Trump described Huang as a respected individual who could overcome the crisis.

In a Thursday interview with commentator Stephen A. Smith, Trump praised the departing executive as a tremendous talent. He noted that Huang was going through a difficult time, stating that the personal impact on his wife and family was the most painful aspect. Trump suggested that if the woman was indeed a spy, the resignation was justified, though the view might differ if she was not.

The president also floated the idea of former Apple CEO Tim Cook as a potential successor to lead Nvidia. Meanwhile, lawmakers from both parties in Congress are demanding a formal investigation. They want to determine if Huang's relationships exposed sensitive AI industry data and whether decisions allowed China-linked entities to acquire restricted chips. Democratic senators have also urged the administration to preserve all documents and correspondence related to Huang's ties to officials and US chip export policies.

Huang's representative did not respond to requests for comment regarding the reported phone call. The White House also declined to comment. The affair has placed both the conduct of a top global tech figure and the president's decision to offer continued support under intense scrutiny.

The episode highlights the complex intersection of personal relationships, national security intelligence, and corporate leadership in the high-stakes world of technology.