US President Donald Trump has expressed sympathy for Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, saying he believes the technology executive was unaware that a woman he had an affair with was allegedly a Chinese spy.
Trump spoke to reporters at the White House on Monday, revealing that he had contacted Huang earlier in the day to check on his well-being.
The president described the Taiwanese-born technology executive as an “amazing guy” and said he believed Huang's claim that he had no knowledge of the woman's alleged espionage activities.
“I asked him that question, ‘Did you have any idea that she was a spy?’ He said, ‘I had no idea that she was a spy,’ and I really believe him,” Trump said.
He added that Huang was “suffering greatly”, particularly because of the impact the situation could have on his wife and family.
Huang reportedly sent a message to Nvidia employees on Sunday, acknowledging that he had an affair and apologising to his family and company staff.
Trump also addressed questions about when he first became aware of intelligence linking Huang to Alice Huang, a Chinese executive who was allegedly passing information to Beijing.
The president said he was unaware of the allegations when Huang accompanied him on a visit to China in May.
“No, I didn't hear about it then. But a lot of people have heard about it,” Trump said.
Huang has maintained a close relationship with the US president and has attended several White House events, including a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September.
However, Trump declined to provide a specific timeline of when he was informed about the allegations.
“Not too long ago. We'll look into it. I know the FBI is looking into it in terms of something else, and I think he'll be in good shape,” he said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declined to comment when approached by AFP for clarification on whether an investigation involving Huang was under way.