Trump backs ex-Apple CEO Tim Cook to replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO: ‘Legend replaces legend’ | Today’s news

Hours after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned as CEO amid a spying scandal, US President Donald Trump said “a legend should replace a legend” and endorsed the former Apple Inc. CEO’s name. Tim Cook.

“NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who did a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man taking his place – Apple’s TIM COOK. A legend replaces a legend! (sic),” Trump said.

Cook stepped down after 15 years as Apple’s CEO in September and is now executive chairman of the iPhone maker.

The tech giant named the company’s chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim CEO and said that “the board has initiated a search for a permanent CEO.”

Huang, who co-founded the tech giant, has been embroiled in controversy since reports claimed he had an extramarital affair with a Chinese businesswoman suspected by US authorities of spying for Beijing.

Days after Huang admitted to having an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, the former chief executive of Singaporean data center company Megaspeed, another alleged extramarital affair with company employee Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare, has sparked new controversy.

The company’s official statement did not mention the reason for Jensen’s resignation. But according to Nvidia’s bylaws, Huang can be removed “with or without cause” by a majority vote of directors, Reuters previously reported.