Donald Trump said on Monday he was “amazed” after the revelations concerning Jensen Huang – one of his ⁠closest allies in Silicon Valley – came to light. The president’s close ties with the Nvidia CEO have come under renewed scrutiny after revelations about the billionaire executive’s affair with an alleged Chinese spy were revealed.

Trump said on 9 November that Huang had told him he had no idea that the woman was a spy. The president added that he believed the CEO.

I asked him that question ’Did you have any idea that she was a spy?’ He said ’I had no idea that she was a spy’ and I really believe him.”

I know the FBI is looking into it … I think that he’ll be in good shape.”

View image in fullscreenJensen Huang and Donald Trump shake hands at an Investing in America event in 2025. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

Over the past two years, Huang has voiced support for the Trump administration’s AI agenda and met the Republican leader many times as Nvidia sought to sell advanced chips to the Chinese market and ⁠lobbied for looser restrictions on Chinese access to ⁠Nvidia’s sophisticated AI chips.

In May 2026, Huang was among a delegation of tech CEOs who joined Trump during his visit to China ‌to meet Xi Jinping, as the Republican leader urged Beijing to “open up” to US business.

View image in fullscreenTrump speaks to reporters after a meeting on ‘super intelligence’ with tech executives at the White House, including Jensen Huang. Photograph: Tierney L Cross/EPA

Then in September, as the Trump administration and AI companies ​faced increasing scrutiny over risks posed by advanced AI, Trump announced that Huang was among a number of tech CEOs who had signed a voluntary safety pact and backed data center expansion.

Trump, who had argued previously that the US does not need new AI-specific regulations, said the pact was “morally binding,” prompting criticism that it was “toothless’” regulation.

View image in fullscreenJensen Huang, his wife, Lori, and Apple’s chair, Tim Cook, attend the state dinner for Xi Jinping. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

In the previous week, Huang had attended a high-profile state dinner for Xi Jinping at the White House, accompanied by his wife.

In early ​October, Trump awarded the National Medal of Science, the United States’ highest honour ​for scientists and engineers, to the Nvidia CEO and some other tech ​industry leaders.

View image in fullscreenDonald Trump presents the National Medal of Science to Jensen Huang last month. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP