Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns after extramarital affairs raise national security concerns
By: Yahoo Tech
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The CEO admitted to having relationships with multiple women, including one accused of being a Chinese spy.
(Reuters)
Nvidia President and CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday after revelations that he had extramarital affairs with multiple women, one of whom was an alleged Chinese spy.
The company said in a statement that Colette Kress, executive Vice president and chief financial officer of NVIDIA, will be interim CEO. Harvey C. Jones was appointed chair of the board.
Nvidia's stock plunged 13% at the stock market open on Thursday.
In its statement the board thanked Huang for his "immeasurable contributions to the company." The chipmaker is at the center of the global AI economy and has multiple agreements with the U.S. government. Huang, who founded Nvidia in 1993, has led the company during the AI boom of the past decade that has made it one of the world's most valuable publicly traded companies.
Last Sunday, Nvidia's board of directors said it was launching an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang being the target of an alleged Chinese spy, with whom he had an affair.
Huang admitted to the affair in an email to Nvidia employees and is cooperating with the investigation. Reports have identified Alice Huang (no relation), former executive at tech firm Megaspeed, as the person he had the relationship with.
"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," Jensen Huang said in a statement.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Huang also had an affair with Kimberly Powell, a married Nvidia executive who reported directly to Huang. Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, joined the company in 2008.
On Thursday, Reuters reported Huang also had an "intimate relationship" with another Nvidia employee. Reuters did not identify the woman and Nvidia declined to comment.
Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters on Thursday that Huang had agreed to testify before Congress after being threatened with a subpoena. On Tuesday, Mast had raised concerns about how Huang's extramarital affair with Alice Huang could affect U.S. national security.
Here's what we know so far, and why this tech CEO's affair is a big deal for the tech and finance space.
First, who is Jensen Huang?
Jensen Huang is the CEO of Nvidia, one of the biggest makers of specialized computer chips in the world. Its chips were initially designed for computer graphics, but with the AI boom of the past few years, demand for Nvidia's hardware has skyrocketed. China and the U.S. are in a heated competition for AI technology, and that includes access to chips like the ones Nvidia makes.
Jensen Huang is an American citizen who was born in Taiwan. He founded Nvidia in 1993 and has been the company's president and CEO since, steering the company through the AI boom of the past several years.
What we know about the Huang affair so far
According to the New York Times, it's unclear when Jensen Huang met Alice Huang — an alleged Chinese spy — but the two were photographed together in 2024 at a bar in Taipei, Taiwan. It was roughly around that time when Megaspeed, the AI company she worked for, began its push into the AI sector. Multiple news reports were unable to confirm if Alice Huang is still employed at Megaspeed today. Megaspeed has touted its membership in Nvidia's partnership program, which would provide access to its latest technology.
Huang apologized for the affair in a message to Nvidia employees, and asked for privacy for his family. "I take full responsibility for what I did and the hurt I caused," Huang wrote, "and I accept the criticism that comes with it."
He pledged to earn back his employees' confidence, and added that he was cooperating fully with the board's investigation. "I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security," he wrote.
The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence officials believe Alice Huang was gathering information for the Chinese government. China denied that it was spying, calling the allegation unsubstantiated. "It is nothing but smears against China," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said.
The New York Times also reported that executives at Nvidia contacted the U.S. Commerce Department last year seeking information about the department's investigation into Megaspeed. The investigation was later transferred to the Department of Justice, which is reportedly looking into Megaspeed's involvement in potentially illegally routing Nvidia products into China.
Why this matters
AI is the biggest thing in tech right now, infiltrating our lives via chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude, and disrupting all sorts of industries from software development and bioengineering. Governments are trying to determine how and when to use AI for security and across business sectors too. China and the U.S. are hastily competing to dominate AI development for uses across multiple industries. The development has been so rapid that some CEOs of AI companies have suggested a pause may be in order before the technology develops beyond what humans can control.
Nvidia has contracts with the U.S. government to use its technology in several areas, and Jensen Huang has a close relationship with President Trump. U.S. officials are trying to determine if the affair may have allowed the Chinese government to receive information about Nvidia's technology and its agreements with the U.S. government. Nvidia's board said in its statement that the company does not believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised.
President Trump said late Sunday that he considers Huang "a fine person" who should stay on as CEO of Nvidia.
"I think he probably has an excuse for it. We'll have to hear it," Trump told reporters Sunday night. "He's done an amazing job for our country."
On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio advised Trump in May that the U.S. believed Huang was involved with a woman believed to be a Chinese spy.
Trump reportedly received the information from Rubio, who is also national security adviser, aboard Air Force One en route to a summit in China, the Times reported. Huang accompanied the president on that visit.
The Times said it was not the first time Trump had been informed of U.S. intelligence about the affair. But the president said this week he was not aware of Huang's affair when he joined Trump for the China summit.
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What is Nutlick's involvement?
Howard Lutnick and Jensen Huang: Political and Legal Scrutiny
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is under intense bipartisan pressure to explain his role in the Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang scandal, with lawmakers demanding investigations and testimony over alleged national security risks.
Background of the Scandal
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned in late 2026 after admitting to an affair with Alice Huang , an executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, whom U.S. intelligence suspects of spying for China Fox News +1 . Megaspeed has been accused of smuggling Nvidia’s advanced AI chips into China, violating U.S. trade bans Yahoo +1 .
According to multiple reports, Lutnick — who became Commerce Secretary in 2025 — received a classified memo (drafted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio) warning about Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang Fox News +1 . The memo was based on surveillance and a chip-smuggling probe targeting Megaspeed Raw Story .
Lawmakers’ Demands
House Democrats : Reps. Ted Lieu and Ro Khanna are calling for an investigation into Lutnick’s failure to act despite being briefed Fox News .
Senate Republicans : Sen. Jim Banks (R‑Ind.) is urging Lutnick to testify “ASAP” before the Senate Banking Committee, alleging he used “loopholes” to allow chip sales to China despite presidential directives Forbes +1 .
Other Republicans : Sen. John Kennedy and Reps. Bill Huizenga and John Moolenaar have pressed Lutnick to explain why Megaspeed was not placed on the U.S. trade blacklist Yahoo .
Democrats in the House Foreign Affairs Committee have written to Lutnick demanding answers and a halt to advanced AI chip exports to China The Hill .
White House Position
Reuters reports senior White House officials are weighing whether to remove Lutnick amid the scandal, but a White House spokesperson said President Trump “maintains complete confidence” in the secretary
Reuters . The Commerce Department has not commented on the allegations.
Key Issues Under Scrutiny
National Security Risk – Whether Lutnick’s department knowingly allowed AI chip exports to a suspected Chinese spy’s company Fox News +1 .
Use of Loopholes – Allegations that Lutnick bypassed export controls despite presidential orders Forbes +1 .
Failure to Act – Claims that Lutnick ignored interagency warnings and failed to blacklist Megaspeed Yahoo +1 .
Transparency – Lawmakers are demanding clear explanations of what was known, when, and what actions were taken Fox News +1 .
In summary: Lutnick is at the center of a high‑stakes political and legal controversy tied to Jensen Huang’s resignation and alleged Chinese espionage. The situation has triggered bipartisan calls for investigation, potential congressional hearings, and even speculation about Lutnick’s future in the administration.
geez, seems like those chinese bimbos are like chinese take out, finish with one and you're ready for another in an hour or so ...
newsflash - the chinese have already stolen those chips, if trump hasn't given them away in the first place ...