President Trump offered no precise timeline at a White House press conference when asked what he knew about allegations involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Alice Huang, a suspected spy. He said Huang told him he had no idea the person was a spy, and that he believed him.
Trump gave no clear date
Asked when he was first informed of an issue involving Huang and the affair, Trump spoke about his longstanding regard for the executive and his view of Nvidia as one of the world’s largest companies by value. He also praised the company’s chip, Blackwell, and described Huang as an “amazing guy.”
When a reporter pressed him for a timeframe, Trump said he had been hearing and reading about the matter “over a period of time,” but “not too long ago.” Asked when that meant, he did not specify. He said the matter would be looked into and noted that the FBI was investigating Huang in connection with something else.
What Trump said about the China visit
Trump said he did not hear about the alleged ties during his visit to China in May. He added that many people had heard about the matter and said Huang denied knowing that the person in question was a spy.
Trump said he spoke with Huang that day to ask how he was doing. According to Trump, Huang told him he had “absolutely no idea” she was a spy. Trump said he believed him and expressed confidence that Huang would be “in good shape.”
Asked whether he would raise the case with President Xi during a planned visit the following week, Trump said he did not think so, though he suggested Xi might ask him about it. He again described Huang as honorable and praised the company he built.
Questions about an intelligence memo
The press conference followed reporting by The New York Times about what Trump may have known before the information became public. The article said the paper had reported in October that Trump was briefed “roughly a year ago” on intelligence about a close relationship between Huang and Alice Huang, but did not act on the information.
The New York Times had also reported the previous day that Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped draft a memo to Trump officials about the relationship before Trump’s May visit to China. Asked whether he had read that memo, Trump said he would check with intelligence officials. He allowed that it could have been mentioned, but said it had not made much of an impact on him.
Huang’s statement and the company inquiry
The questions came after Huang said over the weekend that he had been “unfaithful” to his wife. The article also reported that Nvidia had opened an investigation into Huang. Trump said Huang was suffering, particularly because of the effect on his family, and said he hoped there was no problem.
Trump’s remarks left open when he first learned of the allegations and whether he had seen or absorbed the reported memo. His clearest account was that he had not heard about the alleged spy ties during the China trip in May, had recently discussed the matter with Huang, and believed Huang’s claim that he did not know the person was a spy.