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According to AnewZ, Nvidia’s board of directors is preparing to meet to discuss whether CEO Jensen Huang should be removed from his post. The issue has surfaced amid reports of Huang’s extramarital relationships, including an alleged relationship with a woman believed to have ties to Chinese intelligence. At the same time, U.S. lawmakers are stepping up scrutiny of the company’s chip exports to China.
The upcoming meeting is seen as a significant moment for the company, which is valued at about $4 trillion. Nvidia has not announced any change in its leadership. As uncertainty about Huang’s future grows, the company’s shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
Democratic senators have requested government documents concerning Nvidia’s chip exports to China. Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, are calling on Huang to testify about the allegations and their potential national security implications.
Board decision and possible successors
The upcoming meeting signals a change from the board’s position on Sunday, when Nvidia directors expressed confidence in Huang and his leadership team while also launching an independent investigation.
Under Nvidia’s bylaws, a majority of directors can remove the CEO with or without cause. The company’s board has 11 members; all except Huang are considered independent directors.
The 63-year-old co-founder owns about 3.6% of Nvidia’s shares. Dozens of executives report directly to him, underscoring Huang’s central role in the company’s operations.
Despite the company’s market value of about $4 trillion, Nvidia has not publicly named a possible successor. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the board was working with an external firm to identify potential candidates. Nvidia has not confirmed the report.
The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly financial results on November 17. That date adds urgency to investors’ questions about leadership continuity.
U.S. lawmakers seek answers on exports to China
Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons have asked the Trump administration to preserve documents and communications concerning Nvidia’s exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China.
The letter, addressed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, was sent following reports that Huang was targeted in a suspected Chinese intelligence operation. The senators wrote: “This incident raises serious concerns about the federal government’s ability to effectively enforce export controls and protect our national security.”
The lawmakers requested records on export-control decisions, the administration’s approach to the investigation and communications between Nvidia executives and government officials. They also asked the administration to confirm by November 17 that relevant government agencies had been instructed to preserve records. Warren and Coons are seeking a congressional briefing on potential national security risks.
Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee have separately called for a halt to exports of advanced AI chips to China. Gabe Amo, Gregory Meeks and Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked the Commerce Department to disclose by December 1 whether senior officials knew of intelligence linking Alice Huang to Chinese efforts to obtain Nvidia chips.
Republicans call on Huang to testify
On November 4, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican, and two other lawmakers requested a closed-door briefing on Huang’s alleged relationship with Alice Huang. A spokesperson for Mast said the chairman was open to issuing a subpoena.
A person familiar with the discussions said lawmakers were unlikely to accept Nvidia’s offer to send its general counsel to answer questions on Huang’s behalf. The demands are increasing pressure on the company as its board investigates whether the chief executive was targeted in a foreign intelligence operation.
Allegations under Nvidia’s investigation
The controversy followed reports of Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman believed to have connections to Beijing’s intelligence services. Separate reports have raised questions about whether the relationship helped Chinese companies obtain Nvidia chips. The allegations have not been substantiated as fact.
In a note to employees on Sunday, Huang admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and took “full responsibility,” without disclosing details of the relationship. Nvidia later launched an independent investigation.
The company has said it has no reason to believe that corporate secrets or national security information were compromised. China has denied the espionage allegations.
President Donald Trump has publicly defended Huang, calling him “a decent person” who has “done an incredible job for our country.”
The investigation is taking place amid U.S. restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors to China. The restrictions were imposed over concerns that the chips could be used for military and strategic purposes.
