The resignation of Jensen Huang capped a stunning downfall for one of the most pivotal players in the artificial intelligence boom.
As he built Nvidia into one of the world’s most valuable companies, he regularly held court with President Trump on A.I. policy and served as a de facto representative for the industry. Mr. Huang resigned as Nvidia’s chief executive on Thursday following revelations that he had affairs with an executive who reported to him and with a woman who United States officials believe was spying for China.
But the disclosures of Mr. Huang’s relationships have also brought into view his ties to China, which the U.S. has sought to block from accessing Nvidia’s most advanced A.I. chips, as well as what American officials knew of the affair and Mr. Trump’s inaction as he eventually eased some restrictions on China.
The overlapping timelines of the Nvidia scandal
A suspected Chinese spy
Alice Huang starts a firm to sidestep U.S. rules on chips.
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
Begins to buy $4.8 billion
in Nvidia chips
The affair(s)
Mr. Huang spends time with the spying suspect and an employee.
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
Affectionate with
Nvidia executive
The U.S. probe
U.S. officials investigate the spying suspect and warn Mr. Trump.
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
Repeat visits with the president
Over dozens of meetings, Mr. Huang persuades Mr. Trump to open sales of A.I. chips to China.
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
Nvidia investigates its chief
Mr. Huang resigns four days later.
’22
’23
’24
’25
’26
Mr. Huang’s resignation has not slowed a push for answers. The Senate Banking Committee asked Mr. Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify on Dec. 3. Even before Mr. Huang resigned, the Republican leaders of three House committees had asked him to appear for a closed-door briefing about his relationship with Alice Huang, the suspected Chinese spy and former top executive of Megaspeed.
That testimony and the ongoing government investigations could surface more details about Mr. Huang’s relationships and the A.I. chip sales to Megaspeed.
China has denied the espionage claims. Ms. Huang, who is not related to Mr. Huang, has not responded to requests for comment. Nvidia and Megaspeed declined to comment.
Here’s a closer look at what we know about how the various relationships and investigations unfolded over recent years.
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2023
Alice Huang creates the Singaporean data center firm Megaspeed, which originally had Chinese owners. It would soon buy billions of dollars in Nvidia A.I. chips.
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December 2023
It’s not clear when Nvidia’s chief first met Alice Huang or when their affair began, but in 2023 the two have dinner with colleagues at a Singapore restaurant.
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June 7, 2024
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June 2024 to June 2025
Over 12 months, a Megaspeed subsidiary receives more than 200 shipments of restricted Nvidia A.I. equipment, according to a Times investigation. Since June 2024 it has spent $4.8 billion on A.I. chips.
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Late 2024
The Commerce Department begins to investigate whether Megaspeed was diverting Nvidia’s advanced A.I. chips to China and evading U.S. export controls.
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Jan. 31, 2025
Nvidia’s chief executive, Jensen Huang, and Mr. Trump meet in the Oval Office about two weeks after the inauguration.
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March 2025
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April 4, 2025
Mr. Huang attends a Mar-a-Lago donors’ dinner, reported to cost $1 million a person, to make the case to Mr. Trump for letting chip companies do business with China.
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April 14, 2025
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April 15, 2025
The Trump administration places its first major limits on A.I. chip sales outside the U.S., toughening rules created by the Biden administration.
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April 30, 2025
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May 2025
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May 22, 2025
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July 10, 2025
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July 14, 2025
Reversing course, the Trump administration assures Nvidia that licenses for the sale of a China-specific A.I. chip would now be granted.
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Sept. 18, 2025
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Oct. 29, 2025
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October 2025
Intelligence officials share that Ms. Huang was a Chinese intelligence asset who had a relationship with Mr. Huang. Mr. Trump chooses not to act, wary of disrupting chip sales.
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Late 2025
The Commerce Department’s investigation into Megaspeed is transferred to the Justice Department following an August email from Nvidia’s general counsel.
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Dec. 8, 2025
Mr. Trump approves sales of Nvidia’s second-most-powerful chip to China, and said a portion of the revenue would go to the U.S. government.
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March 2026
The Nvidia chief had an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, an executive who reported to him. The two were seen being affectionate in March.
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March 30, 2026
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May 12, 2026
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May 12, 2026
The president is reminded of intelligence showing that Mr. Huang was in a relationship with a woman believed to be a Chinese spy.
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Sept. 14, 2026
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Sept. 24, 2026
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Sept. 29, 2026
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Oct. 8, 2026
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Nov. 5, 2026
The Republican leaders of three House committees ask Mr. Huang to appear later in November for a closed-door briefing about Ms. Huang and Nvidia’s safeguards against foreign espionage.
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Nov. 8, 2026
Mr. Huang acknowledges a romantic relationship with Ms. Huang. Nvidia said it had no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised but that it would start an investigation.
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Nov. 9, 2026
At a news conference, Mr. Trump says he had not heard about Mr. Huang’s relationship with Ms. Huang at the time of his May trip to China.
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Nov. 11, 2026
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Nov. 12, 2026
The company announces that its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, would serve as interim chief executive.
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Nov. 12, 2026
The Senate Banking Committee asks Mr. Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to appear on Dec. 3 and threatens a subpoena.
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