US President Donald Trump defended NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang amid the company’s board probe into whether he was targeted by a foreign-intelligence operation. Trump said he had not discussed the allegations with Huang, but described him as a ‘fine person’ and an ‘honorable guy.’
Trump praised Huang’s contribution to the United States and said he hoped the situation would be resolved without causing harm. Asked whether Huang should have acted on intelligence he received, Trump said he did not think so and added that Huang ‘probably has an excuse.’
The president also said he would ‘certainly' consider taking Huang on his upcoming Asia trip, signaling continued political support for the NVIDIA chief.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, offered a more measured response. He called Huang an ‘incredible human’ and urged people to show empathy, while stressing that Huang should not receive ‘a free pass.’
Ackman said the matter would become serious if it involved more than a personal relationship. If indeed this is more than an affair, then it is obviously a real problem. He hoped the issue did not pose a risk to national security.
His comments reflect a wider concern among investors: personal misconduct may be manageable, but alleged foreign-intelligence exposure could raise questions about NVIDIA’s governance and leadership continuity.
NVIDIA shares fell in after-hours trading as news of the probe spread. Market watchers say the immediate concern is not necessarily Huang’s departure, but uncertainty over the board’s findings and the company’s response.
Supporters of Huang argue that his role in building NVIDIA into the central supplier of AI computing makes his departure a major risk for the company and the broader technology sector.
Pepperstone’s Chris Weston said he did not expect Huang to be replaced. He argued that Huang remained central to NVIDIA’s strategy and warned that a leadership change could trigger a sharp sell-off in the stock.
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