Trump says FBI probing Nvidia chief's affair with alleged Chinese spy

US President Donald Trump has said the FBI is investigating an affair between Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and a woman alleged to be a Chinese spy. Trump said he had spoken with Huang on Monday after reports surfaced suggesting US authorities believed Huang had been targeted as part of a Chinese espionage effort.

Trump told reporters he had directly asked Huang whether he knew the woman was a spy, and said Huang told him he had no idea, adding that he believed him. He described Huang as suffering because of the situation.

China's government has denied the claims, with its foreign ministry calling the allegations baseless, speculative and an attempt to damage China's reputation.

Nvidia has launched an independent investigation into the matter, which involves a woman named Alice Huang, who is alleged to be a Chinese spy. The company said it currently has no reason to believe its corporate secrets or national security have been compromised.

Nvidia, the world's second most valuable company behind Apple, makes computer chips that are central to artificial intelligence technology. News of the affair wiped around $250bn off the company's market value on Monday, sending its shares down more than 4%.

Trump later told reporters at the White House that the FBI was now examining the matter, though he gave no further details about the investigation or when it began. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment from the BBC.