Tech leaders’ reactions call nvidia letting jensen resign a mistake, while huang resignation sparks debate

Reports and resignation

Nvidia announced Huang’s resignation after reports about two alleged affairs. The article says one involved a suspected Chinese spy and another a direct report. The New York Times reported Friday that Huang and the suspected spy were “close.” Hours after the resignation announcement, Reuters reported an “intimate relationship” with another Nvidia employee.

Public support for Huang

Several prominent technology figures argued that Huang’s departure was a mistake or an overreaction. David Heinemeier Hansson called it “a waste,” while Palmer Luckey wrote before the announcement, “China wants Jensen out, so I want him in.” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney described the day as sad for Nvidia, developers, America and humanity. He praised Huang for leading a company that combined major growth with continued innovation.

Leaders weigh his legacy

Elon Musk said it would “be an honor” to hire Huang and agreed with a post arguing that founders are not easily replaced. Matt Mullenweg reposted advice about founder ousters and added, “Just putting this back out there, for no reason whatsoever.” Hugging Face co-founder Clément Delangue said the situation was sad but pledged to keep working on open-source AI. Steinberger said Huang’s ouster felt rushed, and Sweeney replied, “I agree.”

Perplexity CEO Srinivas thanked Huang for 33 years of leadership, saying he built a small startup into America’s most valuable company. Trump proposed Apple CEO Tim Cook as Huang’s replacement, calling him a legend.