US intelligence intercepted Huang’s communications with Megaspeed executive, Rubio took unusual step
WASHINGTON, DC: Although the news of an affair between former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and a former executive of Singapore-based AI company Megaspeed broke the internet a few days ago, US officials had already been aware of Huang’s relationship with the woman.
US intelligence had also intercepted communications connected to the investigation involving Huang and alleged Chinese spy Alice Huang.
Megaspeed is currently under investigation over national security concerns, including allegations that it redirected American AI chips to China after procuring them from Nvidia. It is alleged that a former Megaspeed executive convinced Huang to sell advanced chips to Megaspeed.
US intelligence intercepted communications linked to Huang investigation
Amid Jensen Huang’s extramarital controversy and concerns about how the alleged Chinese spy connection could affect US national security, a new development reveals that US intelligence had intercepted communications connected to the case in the spring.
Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that when the communication was intercepted, the identity of the American involved was kept hidden, as per standard procedure, to protect the privacy of US persons whose communications might be picked up during the monitoring of foreign targets.
However, US officials requested that the identity be unmasked after reviewing the raw intelligence. Upon unmasking, the American citizen in question was revealed to be then-Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang.
Notably, requests to unmask the identities of American citizens are subject to strict approval procedures. Given the seriousness of the case, US officials sought the release of the name.
The request to unmask an American citizen's identity must be made by an authorized senior official and go through an adjudication process before it is approved. The resulting intelligence is then highly restricted and accessible only to a select group of policymakers.
Rubio warned top officials about Jensen, Alice ties
Upon learning of the intelligence, Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio prepared a memo outlining the intelligence findings and shared it with a small group of senior US officials, including White House officials.
Rubio wanted officials to be aware of Jensen Huang’s relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang when they interacted with the then-CEO of Nvidia, multiple sources said.
As previously reported, the memo was not specifically prepared for President Donald Trump, but he was briefed on the matter several times, sources said. Rubio also briefed Trump on the intelligence aboard Air Force One in May, when Jensen Huang joined the president’s group traveling to China.
A person familiar with Trump's response to the information said the president viewed the development as an embarrassing personal matter for the then-Nvidia CEO, according to the report.
Even this week, after Jensen Huang resigned amid allegations of additional affairs, Trump has spoken about the situation as a personal matter for Huang.
Notably, whether Huang's girlfriend, Alice Huang, was a Chinese spy remains unsettled.
