Day Before Jensen Huang's Resignation, Trump Urged Him To Fight For His Job

A day before Jensen Huang resigned from the post of Nvidia CEO Thursday, he received a call from his friend, US President Donald Trump. It was a call to stop a friend from taking a decision there is no going back from. On Tuesday Trump dialed Huang and urged him to keep fighting for his job, The New York Times reported, quoting two people who were briefed on the conversation.

Huang stepped down from his position on Thursday following the reports of an affair with suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang and Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care. Hours later, Reuters reported Huang's third affair with another woman employee.

Reacting to the scandal that led to the chipmaker boss's resignation, Trump said, "What a horrible thing that is, that's so sad to see that happen."

Trump Was Told About Jensen Huang's Affair On Flight To China: Report

Trump was reportedly informed at least twice in seven months about Huang's relationship with suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang. Once in May, when Trump was aboard Air Force One en route to China. The message was delivered by Marco Rubio, his secretary of state and national security adviser, shortly before Huang joined the presidential trip to Beijing on Trump's invitation.

This contradicts Trump's claims that he did not know about Huang's relationship with a woman US suspected to be a Chinese spy.

"No, I didn't hear about it then," Trump said when asked at a news conference whether he knew about Huang's ties to the woman when he headed to a summit meeting with Xi Jinping.

He instead defended Huang and called him "a very honorable man".

READ | Air Force One To Spy Scandal: A Timeline Of Trump And Jensen Huang's Ties

Trump Asked Nvidia CEO If He Knew Alice Huang Was A Spy

On Sunday, after Huang admitted to having a romantic relationship with another woman and being "unfaithful" to his wife, Trump spoke to the tech boss to check on him.

"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 told reporters at the White House.

He added, "I hope there is no problem. I believe he is suffering greatly... more so because of his family, his wife, who he loves, and his family. But he's definitely suffering."

All this while Trump has taken a sympathetic tone towards Jensen Huang.