'He didn't do anything about it': US lawmaker accuses Trump of protecting Huang and accepting $25m donation amid scandal

Days after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang publicly admitted to an affair with Alice Huang, an alleged Chinese spy, Democrats are raising questions about US President Donald Trump’s response to the situation. The review follows reports that the president was briefed on the matter more than a year ago but took no action.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, who shared the report on his social media account on Tuesday (local time), criticized Trump, saying he was informed of Huang’s involvement with a suspected Chinese spy but did nothing to address potential national security concerns.

In a post on X, Schumer wrote: “Trump was informed a year ago that the CEO of Nvidia had an affair with a Chinese spy. He did nothing about it. Instead, Trump took him to Beijing, advised him to give China access to our AI chips, and accepted a $25 million donation from Nvidia. We need an immediate response to Trump’s failure to protect our national security.”

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The memo reportedly warned senior Trump administration officials about Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s alleged close ties to Alice Huang, who US authorities have identified as a suspected Chinese spy.

Reports said Trump was briefed on the matter more than a year ago. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly reminded him again when Huang traveled to China aboard Air Force One in May.

Schumer argued that Trump took no action after being informed of Huang’s relationship with a suspected Chinese spy. He also criticized Trump for taking Huang to Beijing and accepting a $25 million donation from Nvidia.

Trump denied knowing about the alleged relationship during his visit to China. He later said Huang told him he had no idea Alice Huang was a spy and described the Nvidia CEO as an honest man.

The allegations have raised questions about whether sensitive company information or US interests in the AI competition with China were exposed. Nvidia has appointed an independent commission to review the available information while the FBI and Congress investigate the matter.

What did the report reveal about Huang’s alleged ties?

The criticism follows a report by The New York Times (local time) on Monday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw the drafting of a highly classified memo during the spring. The memo reportedly warned senior Trump administration officials about Huang’s alleged close ties to Alice Huang, who has been identified as a Chinese spy.

The controversy also raised questions about how much Trump knew about the alleged spy ties, when he learned about them, and whether any sensitive information related to the U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) race with China was revealed.

The NYT report, citing people familiar with the matter, also said Rubio reminded Trump of Huang’s relationship with the alleged spy when the Nvidia CEO traveled to China aboard Air Force One during Trump’s state visit in May. It added that it was the second time in seven months that Trump had been briefed on the matter.

Read also | Jensen Huang scandal: Nvidia shares recover after sharp premarket selloff

What did Trump say about the allegations?

The account contradicts Trump’s remarks to reporters on Monday, when he denied knowing about Huang’s alleged relationship with a suspected Chinese spy during a visit to China. However, the American president later spoke with the head of Nvidia to check how he was holding up. Trump said Huang assured him he had “absolutely no idea that the person was a spy,” Bloomberg reported. “I just know Jensen very well. I just think he’s a very honest man,” he added.

While Trump said the episode prompted an FBI investigation and separate calls for a congressional investigation, it doesn’t appear to have shaken his confidence in the Nvidia CEO. Faced with repeated questions about their relationship on Monday, Trump referred to their personal friendship and offered a strong defense of the tech titan, with whom he has spent the past two years forging a close alliance since returning to the White House for a second term.

How close are Donald Trump and Jensen Huang?

Reports suggest that Huang is one of the few corporate leaders who has had such close access to Trump. Huang became one of the world’s most powerful technology executives as Nvidia’s AI chips grew in importance to the global economy, frequently visiting the White House, receiving invitations to state dinners and even traveling to China aboard Air Force One.

The approach has also strengthened his influence in the Trump administration on key issues, including the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure, export controls and US-China policy.

The allegations have brought renewed attention to the relationship between the Trump administration and one of the world’s most powerful technology executives. With Democrats questioning what the president knew and when he was briefed, the reported intelligence warnings and FBI probe could lead to further scrutiny of the administration’s handling of potential national security risks associated with the US-China AI competition.