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US President Donald Trump's close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has come under renewed scrutiny after the chipmaker's board launched an investigation into whether the tech executive was targeted by a foreign intelligence operation allegedly linked to China, Reuters reported.
Huang, one of Trump's closest allies in Silicon Valley, has maintained a strong relationship with the president since at least 2025. He has repeatedly backed the administration's agenda and become a regular presence in Washington as Nvidia lobbied for access to China's lucrative market for advanced artificial intelligence chips.
The investigation follows a New York Times report alleging that Huang had a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman whom US intelligence officials believe passed information to the Chinese government. Nvidia shares fell to a seven-month low on Monday following the developments.
Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, called for an investigation into the matter, citing potential national security concerns.
"I'm pushing to investigate Jensen Huang and Nvidia to determine whether our national security was compromised," Coons said in a post on X.
"We need answers about the relationship between AI billionaires and the Trump administration, who's making these decisions, and who's really got their hand on the wheel," he added.
TRUMP CALLS HUANG AN 'HONORABLE GUY'
Huang has enjoyed direct access to Trump, with a Reuters reporter spotting his full name on the president's phone in December 2025.
The Nvidia CEO accompanied Trump on Air Force One during his visit to China in May, the first visit by a US president to the country in nearly a decade. He also attended a high-profile White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping in September.
Nvidia has also reportedly committed USD 25 million towards Trump's planned White House ballroom.
The New York Times reported that Trump had been briefed about Huang's relationship with the Chinese businesswoman and allegations that she was passing information to Beijing, but chose not to act on the information.
Asked about the allegations on Sunday night, Trump said he had not spoken to Huang about the matter and described him as an "honorable guy".
"I hope everything's fine," Trump said, praising Huang for doing "such an incredible job".
The White House press office declined to comment further on Trump's relationship with Huang on Monday. Nvidia's communications team also did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
NVIDIA BENEFITED FROM FAVOURABLE TRUMP POLICIES
Huang's relationship with Trump has coincided with several favourable policy developments for Nvidia, particularly concerning exports of advanced AI chips to China.
In April 2025, the Trump administration backed away from plans to restrict exports of certain Nvidia AI chips to China after Huang attended a dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.
In December 2025, Trump announced that the US would allow Nvidia to export its H200 processors, its second-most powerful AI chips, to China, with the government collecting a 25 per cent fee on such sales.
Trump has also publicly praised Huang, awarding him the nation's highest honour for scientific achievement in October.
On the same day, Trump disclosed that he had bought up to USD 1.6 million and sold up to USD 1 million worth of Nvidia shares during the summer.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle had told Reuters at the time that independent third-party financial institutions managed the president's investment portfolio.
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