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By Rich Percival
Associate News Editor
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One of China’s biggest state-run publications has suggested that Nvidia's internal investigation into allegations involving CEO Jensen Huang could be a political witch hunt.
The Global Times accused American politicians of exploiting the scandal to restrict chip exports to China and challenge President Donald Trump's artificial intelligence agenda.
In a commentary published on November 9, the state-run newspaper questioned whether scrutiny of the billionaire was genuinely motivated by national security concerns or was being used to undermine one of America's most influential technology executives.
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The newspaper linked the controversy to growing opposition across the U.S. to AI data centers, suggesting that politicians already critical of Nvidia's business dealings with China could benefit from Jensen Huang's weakened standing in Washington.
The commentary follows reports that U.S. intelligence officials suspected Alice Huang, who worked at Singapore-based Megaspeed, and with whom Jensen Huang allegedly had an extramarital affair, of gathering information for Beijing.
Jensen Huang has acknowledged having an affair and apologized to his family but has not publicly identified the person with whom he had an affair.
"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," Jensen Huang said in a statement released by Nvidia,
Nvidia's board said it had no reason to believe national security or company secrets had been compromised. The company announced an independent investigation on November 8, with Jensen Huang remaining chief executive.
FBI Probing Alleged Affair, Says Trump
Trump has publicly defended Jensen Huang, saying he believes the Nvidia chief executive's explanation of his relationship with the woman suspected of working for Chinese intelligence.
The president told reporters on Monday that he had spoken directly to Jensen Huang about the allegations.
According to Trump, Jensen Huang said he was unaware of the woman's alleged intelligence connections during their relationship.
Trump said he accepted that explanation as Nvidia faced mounting scrutiny over its business dealings with China.
"I know the FBI is looking into it," Trump said of the case. "I think that he'll be in good shape."
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Chinese State Media And Government Reaction
The Global Times commentary—headlined "Is investigation into Jensen Huang about counter-espionage, or is it a political witch hunt?"—questioned the evidence behind the espionage allegations while suggesting political interests in Washington could benefit from the controversy.
The newspaper accused American media of turning Jensen Huang's alleged extramarital affair into a national security scandal without publicly verifiable evidence supporting the central claims about Chinese intelligence.
It argued that reporting around the alleged affair relied heavily on anonymous sources and accused politicians of amplifying the allegations before investigations had reached their conclusions.
"Where is the hard, independently verifiable evidence?" the outlet asked.
It also questioned the timing of the allegations.
The Global Times raised the possibility that Jensen Huang's Chinese heritage was contributing to the suspicion surrounding him, although it offered no evidence that his ethnicity had influenced investigators.
It questioned whether Jensen Huang was being treated primarily as an American entrepreneur or as someone whose Chinese ethnicity invited greater scrutiny. The commentary offered no evidence establishing that ethnicity had influenced the investigation.
China's Foreign Ministry has separately rejected the espionage allegations.
"The 'Chinese spy' allegation is purely unsubstantiated and directed at smearing China," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters.
State Media Ties Controversy To AI Chips
Chinese state media has also accused American politicians of exploiting the scandal surrounding Jensen Huang to push for tougher restrictions on AI chip exports to China, as lawmakers from the Democrats and Republicans demand greater scrutiny of the company.
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In a November 10 article, the Global Times quoted Chen Hong, director of the Institute of Region and Country Studies at East China Normal University, who accused U.S. lawmakers of using the allegations to justify further restrictions on Chinese technology. However, he provided no evidence that politicians had orchestrated the controversy or interfered with the investigation.
On Monday, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Republican Senator Jim Banks called for tougher chip-export controls, saying Jensen Huang's acknowledged relationship with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative raised "important questions NVIDIA must answer."
Three Republican House committee chairmen have also requested a private briefing on November 18, while Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has demanded answers.
It has not been publicly established that the woman worked for Chinese intelligence or that Alice Huang knowingly disclosed sensitive information.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Geoffrey Rowland.
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