Rubio Briefed Trump on Huang Spy Concerns Aboard Air Force One in May, Source Says

Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed Trump aboard Air Force One in May 2026 on intelligence that Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang was in a relationship with a potential Chinese spy, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, contradicting Trump's insistence that he knew nothing about the allegations at the time. It came on the flight to China, before Huang joined him for the final leg.

Key Points

• Marco Rubio briefed Donald Trump aboard Air Force One in May 2026 about intelligence linking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to a suspected Chinese spy, a source told CNN.
• It happened before Huang boarded at an Alaska layover for the final leg to Beijing, after Trump insisted he join the China trip.
• Trump said on Monday that he had only recently learned of the allegations and denied knowing about them at the time of the trip.
• A classified memo overseen by Rubio and circulated in May warned that Huang had a close relationship with a woman the US now concludes is a Chinese spy.
• The White House dismissed the account on Tuesday, with an official saying the sources behind it "have no idea what they're talking about".

What Happened

The New York Times first reported that Trump was told about the suspected operation during the May trip, and CNN reported on Monday that Rubio delivered the warning personally aboard Air Force One as the president flew to China. The matter was discussed before Huang joined Trump at the Alaska layover, according to the source. Huang had not initially been invited on the trip, but Trump ultimately insisted he come along.

Trump publicly denied on Monday knowing about the allegations at that time. He said he had only recently learned of them and that the FBI was looking into the matter. The president also repeated his defence of the Nvidia chief, saying of Huang's claim that he had no idea Alice Huang was a spy: "I really believe him." That account sits squarely against his denial, leaving one central question: what did the president know, and when did he know it?

Background: The Memo, the Affair and the Beijing Trip

The warning was set out in a classified memo issued in May and overseen by Rubio, circulated among a small group of senior officials. It warned Huang had a close relationship with Alice Huang, a former senior executive at the Singapore data-centre firm Megaspeed whom United States intelligence now concludes is a Chinese spy. Federal agents first warned lawmakers roughly a year ago that Huang was the "target of a foreign intelligence effort", and the memo drew on electronic surveillance of Alice Huang. US memo says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had romantic ties to alleged China spy.

Huang admitted the affair to Nvidia employees on November 8, apologising to his family, colleagues and shareholders. Nvidia has called the espionage allegations baseless, and Huang has said he had no idea Alice Huang was a spy. The affair, the memo and the FBI examination have already cost Nvidia heavily: its shares fell 5.5 percent on Tuesday, November 10, and are down 31 percent from their October 6 record high, with Microsoft overtaking it as the world's second-most valuable company. Trump does not recall Rubio memo on Huang affair with alleged China spy.

Rubio Briefed Trump Aboard Air Force One

The reported briefing matters because it was not a paper warning lost in a pile of intelligence. According to the source, the secretary of state raised the matter with the president directly, in person, on the aircraft taking him to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. That is a very different picture from the one Trump painted on Monday, when he said the memo "certainly" may have been mentioned but "didn't make much of an impact on me".

The timing is also significant. The briefing came before Huang boarded in Alaska, which means Trump is reported to have known about the suspected operation when he decided, over aides' objections, to bring the Nvidia chief to Beijing. Trump has since said he would "certainly" take Huang on a future Asia trip and does not expect to raise the issue when he meets Xi next week at the APEC summit in Shenzhen.

Reactions and Quotes

A White House official on Tuesday directed CNN to Trump's Monday comments, adding: "These sources have no idea what they're talking about." The administration has not explained how a personal briefing aboard Air Force One squares with the president's account, and neither the White House nor the State Department has confirmed or denied it in detail.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton and CIA Director John Ratcliffe met the Gang of Eight on Capitol Hill on Monday for more than an hour, in a session meant to focus on the Iran war but dominated by the Huang affair. Democrats vowed investigations once they take control of Congress in January, with Representative Jim Himes calling semiconductor exports to China "a matter of immense national security importance" and Senator Chris Coons writing: "Congress will investigate and get answers." China has called the allegation "purely groundless speculation". Nvidia shareholders sue Jensen Huang as FBI probes alleged China spy affair.

Why It Matters

The case reaches the top of the most important company in the artificial intelligence age and the heart of the United States-China technological rivalry. Nvidia's chips power the data centres behind the world's leading AI systems, and Washington has spent years tightening controls on advanced chip sales to China. If the president was briefed in person about a suspected Chinese intelligence asset close to the chief executive of the world's most valuable chipmaker, then brought that executive to Beijing anyway, lawmakers will want to know what was decided, by whom, and why nothing was done.

What Happens Next

The FBI examination will continue, Nvidia's board inquiry led by former prosecutor Joon Kim will run separately, and Congress is likely to press for answers, with Huang due before lawmakers on November 18. Nvidia reports earnings on November 17, when Huang faces investors for the first time since the scandal broke, and the shareholder lawsuit filed on Monday will move through the federal courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the new claim?
A source told CNN that Marco Rubio briefed Donald Trump aboard Air Force One in May 2026 about intelligence linking Jensen Huang to a potential Chinese spy, before Huang joined the flight to Beijing.

What did Trump say?
Trump said on Monday that he had only recently learned of the allegations, does not recall the classified memo, and believes Huang had no idea Alice Huang was a spy.

Who is Alice Huang?
Alice Huang is a Chinese citizen and former senior executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore data-centre company. US intelligence concluded she was recruited by China's Ministry of State Security.

Is Jensen Huang accused of spying for China?
No. The allegation concerns a woman in Huang's orbit said to have worked for Chinese intelligence. Huang says he had no idea, and Trump says he believes him.

What happens next?
Huang briefs Congress on November 18, Nvidia reports earnings on November 17, and Democrats have vowed investigations once they take Congress in January.