Trump Reveals FBI Investigation into Nvidia CEO's Relationship with Alleged Chinese Spy

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that the FBI is investigating a relationship between Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang and an alleged Chinese spy. Speaking at a White House press briefing, Trump confirmed he was aware of the FBI's involvement but did not provide specific details regarding when the inquiry began or its exact scope. The FBI declined to comment on the matter.

The disclosures follow reports that U.S. intelligence officials suspect Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, of acting as an espionage asset for Beijing. Alice Huang, who is not related to the Nvidia executive, served as managing director of Singapore-based Megaspeed, a company that has engaged in business dealings with Nvidia. According to a New York Times report, Secretary of State Marco Rubio circulated a memo to top officials earlier this year warning of the close relationship. China's foreign ministry has denied the espionage allegations, calling them groundless and aimed at defaming the country.

Executive Response and Security Concerns

Trump told reporters he spoke directly with Jensen Huang on Monday. According to Trump, Huang stated he had no knowledge that the woman was allegedly an espionage operative, a statement the president said he believed. Huang publicly admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, apologizing to his family while affirming his commitment to U.S. national security and pledging cooperation with an independent investigation commissioned by Nvidia.

Nvidia stated it has found no evidence suggesting company secrets or U.S. national security have been compromised. However, several Congressional committees have requested Huang's appearance for a joint closed-door briefing next week to examine Nvidia's security protocols and his interactions with Alice Huang. Congressional leaders have voiced ongoing concerns over the potential smuggling of Nvidia's advanced artificial intelligence components to China.

Market Impact and Legal Challenges

The revelations significantly impacted Nvidia's stock performance on Monday, erasing approximately $250 billion from the company's valuation as its share price dropped by over 4%. Alongside market losses, Huang and Nvidia were targeted in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in California. The suit accuses the company and its chief executive of defrauding shareholders by concealing ties to the suspected spy and misrepresenting the nature of the relationship to the media.

Nvidia occupies a central position in the global AI hardware market, making its operations a key focus of national security policy. While the U.S. government maintains export bans on its top-tier processors, such as the GB200 Blackwell super chip, the Trump administration recently permitted sales of its H200 semiconductors to Chinese clients under specific regulatory conditions.