During an unscheduled White House briefing on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump voiced public support for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who found himself in the crosshairs of bipartisan scrutiny following reports regarding his relationship with a woman whom American intelligence services suspect of being a Chinese intelligence asset. «I consider him a person of very high quality; I’ve known him for a long time... He’s a terrific guy», Trump stated, adding, «I hope there are no issues. If there are, we'll let you know.» He noted that he had spoken with Huang by phone earlier that same day.
«I Truly Believe Him»
Answering a question about whether Huang knew of his companion’s alleged ties to Chinese intelligence, Trump relayed Huang's words: «I asked him, „Did you have any idea she was a spy?“ He said, „I had no idea she was a spy,“ and I truly believe him.» The president also noted that he believes Huang is «suffering» due to pressure on his family and wife, and stated that the FBI is reviewing the case. However, as Fox News reported, Trump did not specify precisely what the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating, limiting himself to the phrase «in connection with something else» and expressing confidence that «he's going to be fine.» Asked whether he would bring up the topic during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump replied that he thinks not, though Xi might bring it up himself.
Internal Nvidia Investigation and Market Reaction
According to sources, Nvidia's board of directors has launched an internal probe into whether Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence operation; the company stated it has no reason to believe national security or trade secrets were compromised. The investigation was triggered by a New York Times report detailing Huang's close personal relationship with a Chinese businesswoman whom U.S. intelligence suspects of passing information to Beijing. Amid these reports, Nvidia shares tumbled to a seven-month low on Monday, which TRT World noted was a swift market reaction to the revelations.
Hegseth Impeachment: Massie vs. Trump
On the same day, Trump sharply criticized Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie, calling him a «cold loser» for introducing eight articles of impeachment against Defense Minister Pete Hegseth in the House of Representatives. Massie justified his actions by arguing that the war with Iran—initiated by the Trump administration over eight months ago and effectively stalled since—was never declared by Congress. «The truth is the president is at fault for directing Hegseth to carry out illegal orders—but Hegseth shouldn’t carry out illegal orders, and that is why we are impeaching him», Massie said at a Capitol Hill briefing. Trump, in turn, declared that he would stand by Hegseth even if Congress proceeds with impeachment. Hegseth was reportedly scheduled to hold his own briefing on Tuesday morning.
Dana White at the White House Briefing
A separate episode on Monday was the appearance of UFC President Dana White at the same briefing after Trump mentioned his name as a potential future White House press secretary. «I always wanted this: who’s got the first question? I have zero political ambitions», White said as he approached the podium, calling Trump «the toughest human being I’ve ever met.» At the same time, his visit was not in the capacity of press secretary: he has not yet answered the offer, and when asked about a formal refusal, White stated, «I don’t say no to the president on anything.» Trump previously claimed his offer to White was a joke, but at the briefing said that he would likely «enjoy the job».
Proposed Changes to the SNAP Program
Concurrently, the Trump administration proposed a new rule change for food assistance benefits that, according to USDA estimates, will cut SNAP program coverage by nearly 17% of households by 2029—about 3.2 million households and 6.3 million people. The proposal bars households from receiving SNAP benefits based on receiving non-material aid through the TANF program. According to sources, a major tax bill previously signed by Trump has already reduced the number of SNAP recipients by 5.5 million people, marking the sharpest drop in recent years; as of July, more than 36 million Americans were receiving food assistance through the program.
