The US President called the Nvidia chief on Tuesday to support him amid a scandal involving a suspected Chinese spy.
President Donald Trump called Nvidia chief Jensen Huang on Tuesday to encourage him to resist efforts to remove him from his position, according to reports by The New York Times cited by Deccan Herald and Moneycontrol.
The call occurred shortly before Nvidia announced on Thursday that Huang was stepping down from the company he co-founded. His departure follows revelations regarding personal relationships, including one with a woman believed by US intelligence agencies to be a Chinese spy.
Intelligence agencies had reportedly warned the President twice, once late last year and again in the spring, about Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese national suspected of being recruited by China's Ministry of State Security. Despite these warnings, Trump included Huang in a trip to China in May.
Aides stated that the President viewed the matter primarily as an issue of infidelity rather than a national security threat. They noted that Trump saw Nvidia as a vital company for the US economy and for maintaining technological dominance over China.
Following the announcement, Nvidia appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO and Harvey C. Jones as the first board chair. Nvidia shares fell 4.3 per cent during Thursday's trading session before recovering approximately 1 per cent in after-hours trading.
Trump expressed his support for Huang on social media on Thursday, calling him a "legend." A representative for Huang and the White House did not provide comments regarding the reported phone call.
