Trump says US will check "very closely" a report that Nvidia's Jensen Huang was targeted by a Chinese spy plot

President Donald Trump said on Saturday 31 October that the United States would look “very closely” at a report that Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang had been the target of a Chinese spy plot, while voicing support for the businessman, who advises him on technology.

“I have a lot of respect for Jensen. I didn’t know about the specific thing, but I hope he’s going to be OK. He’s a great, brilliant person, and we want to protect our brilliant people,” Trump told reporters at his Florida residence, according to AFP, as reported by CNA. “We’re going to check it out very closely.”

Asked whether he would keep Huang as an adviser, Trump said: “I would like to say yes. I mean, unless we find out something to the contrary, I’ve always found Jensen Huang to be very above board.” He added: “But you know, you’re dealing in a very complex issue.”

The New York Times reported on 29 October that US intelligence officials had concluded that a Chinese executive linked to a Singapore-based data centre company, who had interacted with Huang, had been passing information to Beijing. China has dismissed the report as “groundless speculation”, CNA reported. The Washington Post described Trump’s remarks as stopping short of fully backing Huang.

Huang has advised Trump on artificial intelligence policy and was among the technology executives who travelled with him to Beijing in May to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to CNA.