Trump: Jensen Huang says he didn’t know she was a spy... FBI is looking into it

[Financial News] U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 9th (local time) that he had spoken by phone with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who acknowledged allegations of an affair with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy, and that the FBI was looking into the case.
Trump also relayed Huang’s remark that he had not known the woman in question was a spy, and said he trusted the CEO. Trump did not give a clear answer about when he was briefed on the matter. Meanwhile, he appeared inclined not to raise the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Asked by reporters in the White House briefing room that day when he had been briefed about the issue involving Huang, Trump said, “I was more than anything surprised when I heard about it, because I think he’s a very fine person.”



Trump went on to stress, “I hope there are no problems. It wasn’t long ago that I was briefed, and we’ll look into it,” adding, “I know the FBI is looking into this matter in connection with another issue, and I think he’ll be fine.”
Trump said he had spoken with Huang that day, adding, “I called to see if he was okay. He said he had absolutely no idea the person in question was a spy,” and, “I trust him. He’s suffering greatly.”
When asked again when he had first been briefed about the issue involving Huang, Trump gave a vague answer suggesting it might have been mentioned in an intelligence briefing, then played down its significance, saying, “It didn’t have much effect on me.”
Asked whether he would raise the issue with Xi Jinping at next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Trump said, “I don’t think so,” adding that Xi might ask him about it.
He then said, “I know Jensen very well. He’s a very honorable person. He built a great American company,” adding, “I’m very confident he’ll be fine.”



Huang acknowledged allegations of an affair with Alice Huang, who is suspected of being a Chinese spy. In an article raising the affair allegations, The New York Times (NYT) also alleged that Trump had received a report about the matter roughly a year earlier but took no action and turned a blind eye.
Huang’s alleged affair could go beyond his personal life and become an issue in U.S.-China relations. Trump has criticized calls to slow the pace of artificial intelligence (AI) development, citing concerns about China catching up. But he cannot ignore the possibility that the incident could hurt NVIDIA, a leading U.S. AI company, and slow its technology development.
Chinese authorities dismissed reports that the woman in question was a Chinese spy, calling them “slander and a smear campaign.”
At the briefing that day, Trump also said the war in Ukraine was tilting very strongly toward an end. The remark appeared intended to build expectations for U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace talks to be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).



Trump defended the appointment of Stephen Miller as the new White House chief of staff, which Democrats strongly oppose, saying, “He’s smart, strong and fair, and he’ll get along very well with the Democrats.”
Trump’s visit to the White House briefing room that day was not scheduled. He suddenly appeared there accompanied by UFC President Dana White, to whom he had reportedly offered the job of White House press secretary.
White stood at the podium like a press secretary and answered a few questions from reporters. Trump soon took over the podium and fielded questions from the press, then turned to White and theatrically asked whether he would accept the press secretary job. White tactfully declined, saying, “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to get involved in politics.”


[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, international affairs correspondent Reporter