Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO after Rubio sent Trump a memo warning about his China ties

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday, and a Washington Post report placed him at the center of the chip policy battle in Washington. The report said Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Rubio had sent Trump a memo based on a CIA report warning him about his association with a Chinese businesswoman suspected by U.S. intelligence officials of ties to Chinese intelligence, and the conclusions were subsequently leaked to the media. Trump had previously approved selling some Nvidia chips to China in exchange for a revenue share, and Huang's direct communication with the president was seen as key to that decision; China hawks in the administration had long wanted to destroy his influence with the president. Huang admitted to and apologized for an extramarital affair with an executive of an Nvidia customer, the board investigated whether the relationship endangered the company's security, and an affair with a subordinate was subsequently reported. Hawks see his departure as an opportunity, and members of Congress are seeking to add to the defense bill to be considered before the end of the year provisions on stricter AI chip export controls, chip smuggling detection technology, and restrictions on China's access to chip manufacturing equipment; Rubio repeatedly declined to discuss his role during the G7 summit in Paris.