Trump says Nvidia's Jensen Huang phoned to apologize for family fallout

The call and the interview

Trump said Huang reached out and apologized for the toll the scandal took on his family before he was removed from his post. "I spoke to him yesterday. He's going through hell," Trump said, adding, "What he feels most badly about is his wife and family. That's what he told me. He called me."

He also offered praise, saying, "What he's done is incredible," and, "Nvidia is unbelievable." His remarks came just hours after Huang was pushed out, following reports of three affairs - one allegedly with a woman alleged to be a spy for China.

The spy question and relationships at issue

Trump told Smith that whether Huang should have stepped down hinges on whether a woman connected to him was in fact a spy. He said he does not know if that has been determined and that if she was not, the situation might look different to him.

That woman is Alice Huang, identified as a onetime executive at Megaspeed International, a data-center company based in Singapore, and U.S. officials believe she was tied to Chinese intelligence. The relationships under scrutiny also include Kimberly Powell, who serves as Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, and, according to Reuters, a romantic involvement with another Nvidia employee whose name has not been disclosed.

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Inside access, reminders and a push to fight

Huang's abrupt fall drew scrutiny of his closeness to the president and the administration. In Trump's second term, he emerged as the most prominent booster of the artificial intelligence industry, often seen at the White House and on Air Force One, enjoying access surpassing many corporate leaders.

According to the New York Times, Secretary of State Rubio reminded Trump of Huang's connection to the suspected spy when Trump took him to China during a May state visit, traveling on Air Force One, and noted it was at least the second reminder in seven months. The Times separately said Trump phoned Huang on Tuesday ahead of his resignation and pressed him to fight for his job. Trump said he expects Huang will eventually recover from the debacle.

Why it matters for investors

Huang's removal by the board roiled the AI economy, and Trump's comments underscored that a key unknown remains whether a woman involved was a spy. In plain English: a high profile executive tied closely to the White House exited under national security cloud, keeping policy and oversight in the frame for AI.

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