“Trump received a report on ‘Jensen Huang’s involvement as a Chinese spy’ from the plane traveling to China in May.”

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 10th (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on suspicions that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was involved in Chinese espionage on Air Force One, a private plane en route to China last May.

This runs counter to President Trump's denial that he was aware of the relevant information at the time.

NYT, citing multiple officials familiar with the matter, reported that President Trump received a report from the US intelligence agency that he had obtained intelligence information that CEO Hwang was in a romantic relationship with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy while on a private plane heading to China last May.

This report was made directly by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also served as National Security Advisor.

CEO Hwang was initially excluded from the list of businessmen accompanying President Trump on his trip to China, but President Trump invited CEO Hwang to join when Air Force One stopped in Alaska for refueling after leaving the country.

It is said that when Secretary Rubio learned of CEO Hwang's joining, he reported the related suspicions to President Trump.

However, sources reported that President Trump did not show any particular reaction upon receiving the report, and he maintained his plan to accompany CEO Hwang to China on a private plane from Alaska.

U.S. officials said CEO Hwang met President Trump "very briefly" after boarding Air Force One and "remained in a separate area of ​​the cabin for almost the entire flight."

The NYT reported that this was at least the second time in seven months that President Trump was informed of the suspicion.

However, when asked by reporters the day before whether he was aware of the related allegations during his visit to China in May, President Trump denied, saying, "I did not hear about it at the time."

The NYT reported that President Trump dismissed the concerns and took no action even after receiving the first report in the late fall of last year that a woman having an affair with CEO Hwang was suspected of being involved with Chinese intelligence agencies.

U.S. authorities reportedly determined that Alice Huang, who was in a romantic relationship with CEO Hwang, was working for the Chinese intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security.

CEO Hwang initially claimed that his relationship with Alice Hwang was a normal relationship with a customer, but on the 8th, he admitted that it was a romantic relationship. Nvidia later announced that it would conduct an independent investigation.

The NYT reported that the White House disputed the NYT report but did not provide a detailed explanation.

The Democratic Party is taking issue with the Trump administration's response to this incident and is calling for stronger regulations on semiconductor exports to China.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized media reports that President Trump had taken no action even after being briefed on the issue a year ago, saying, "President Trump should protect the United States, not China or his friends," and added, "He was busy defending Jensen Huang when he should have been protecting national security."

At the same time, he urged Congress to thoroughly investigate President Trump's failure to properly respond to foreign espionage activities against the U.S. technology industry.