Jensen Huang Resigns as Nvidia CEO Amid Espionage Scandal
Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO following revelations of affairs with a subordinate and a suspected Chinese spy, triggering federal probes and a massive market sell-off.
Founder and CEO Jensen Huang resigned from Nvidia Corporation on November 12, 2026, following a series of personal and national security scandals. Huang admitted to multiple extramarital affairs, including a relationship with Kimberly Powell, a vice president who reported directly to him, and Alice Huang, a businesswoman and former executive at Megaspeed International. U.S. intelligence officials identify Alice Huang as a recruit of China's Ministry of State Security who may have used the relationship to influence U.S. AI policy and facilitate the illegal diversion of approximately $7.5 billion in restricted AI chips to China.
Nvidia's board launched an independent investigation led by former acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim and the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The company appointed CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO and named Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever board chair. The leadership crisis erased over $1 trillion in market value, with shares plummeting as much as 14% in a single session.
Politically, the scandal has sparked a crisis for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is accused by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and congressional leaders of stalling crackdowns on Megaspeed to avoid trade tensions. President Donald Trump defended Huang as an "honorable guy" and suggested Apple's Tim Cook as a potential successor, despite reports that he was briefed on the espionage risk over a year ago. Huang has agreed to testify before the U.S. Congress in December regarding national security breaches and export control loopholes.
