Trump Under Fire Over Report Prez Was Warned About Nvidia CEO's Alleged Chinese Spy Connection
Trump administration was warned about something related to Jensen Huang a few months ago
Nov. 12 2026, Published 11:15 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump is facing renewed scrutiny after reports revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio allegedly warned senior administration officials that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was romantically involved with a woman suspected of working for Chinese intelligence.
The controversy has raised questions about what Trump knew before inviting the billionaire tech executive on his May trip to China, particularly after reports indicated that the president had received more than one intelligence briefing about the alleged espionage connection.
According to The New York Times, a highly classified memo prepared under Rubio's supervision detailed concerns about Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman who was suspected of working for Beijing's Ministry of State Security.
The Classified Memo Warning To White House
Marco Rubio supervised the drafting of a memo that warned the administration about Huang
The memo, drafted in the spring of 2026, reportedly relied on intelligence gathered through electronic surveillance of Alice Huang, a senior executive at Singapore-based AI infrastructure company Megaspeed.
U.S. intelligence officials believed she had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to obtain information about Jensen Huang, who is not related to her, according to The New York Times.
The document was circulated among senior administration and national security officials ahead of Trump's May visit to China.
However, the warning was reportedly not the first time the president had been made aware of the matter. The Times reported that Trump had received an earlier briefing about the surveillance approximately a year before the memo was prepared.
A subsequent report also revealed that Rubio personally updated Trump aboard Air Force One during the May trip, shortly before Huang joined the presidential delegation. That account has added to questions about Trump's recollection of the warnings.
Trump's Response As FBI Opens Probe
Donald Trump said that he has spoken to Trump about the alleged spy ties
Trump addressed the controversy on November 9, confirming that the FBI was looking into the matter while expressing confidence that Huang would not face serious trouble.
Speaking at the White House, the president said, "I hope there's no problem. I know the FBI is looking into it. I think that he'll be in good shape."
Trump also revealed that he had spoken directly with the Nvidia chief and questioned him about whether he knew of Alice Huang's alleged intelligence connections.
"He said, 'I had no idea that she was a spy,' and I really believe him," Trump told reporters.
The president described Jensen Huang as a "very high-quality person" and an "honourable guy."
When asked whether he remembered receiving Rubio's warning, Trump responded, "It could have been mentioned. Certainly, it didn't make much of an impact on me."
He also defended his decision to include the Nvidia executive on the China trip, despite the reported intelligence concerns.
Jensen Huang Acknowledges Affair
Jensen Huang claimed that he was unfaithful to his wife
Jensen Huang has also addressed the personal controversy, admitting to employees that he had been unfaithful to his wife.
In a message to Nvidia staff, the CEO took responsibility for his actions and apologized to his family.
"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," he wrote.
His admission came as Nvidia's board announced an independent investigation into whether the executive had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
The company confirmed that a committee of independent directors, working with outside legal counsel, would oversee the review. It also stressed that it had no reason to believe that national security or Nvidia's trade secrets had been compromised.
Nvidia had previously defended Huang's interactions with Alice, describing them as consistent with the executive's regular business meetings with customers. The company also maintained that its regional cloud customers received ordinary business information rather than sensitive trade secrets or information relevant to U.S. national security.
The controversy has also taken a financial toll on the technology giant. According to Reuters, Nvidia lost approximately $430 billion in market value over two trading sessions as additional reports about the alleged intelligence operation emerged.
Political Fallout And Denials
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Hakeem Jeffries claimed that lawmakers need more information related to Huang
The allegations have prompted calls for greater congressional scrutiny, with lawmakers seeking answers about potential national security risks and China's access to advanced American technology.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Congress needed a more comprehensive briefing on the situation after an initial classified session with intelligence officials.
"Clearly Congress needs more information," Jeffries said, adding that there were "real concerns that need to be addressed with respect to the Nvidia situation."
He also called for stronger restrictions on U.S. chip sales to China, highlighting the broader concerns surrounding the case.
China, meanwhile, has rejected the espionage allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described the claims as "purely unsubstantiated and directed at smearing China" during a November 10 press conference.
The controversy has also put a spotlight on the relationship between Washington and the semiconductor industry, particularly as Nvidia's advanced AI chips remain central to U.S.-China technology competition.
