Trump claims the FBI is investigating an affair between the head of Nvidia and an alleged Chinese spy. Let’s state this upfront: such a relationship is possible, and it is conceivable that Nvidia could have been compromised in this manner. However, it is also highly likely that the claim is untrue.
The growing fear of China in the United States in recent years has led to a tendency to link every negative event to China. Rather than examining their own shortcomings or follies, institutions often seek to deflect responsibility by constantly conjuring up an enemy—and Nvidia may well be one of these institutions. If a company is among the most profitable in the world, it cannot focus solely on making money; it must also address security concerns. Nvidia’s priority should be the secure protection of its data, followed by profit generation; when the order is reversed, it becomes far easier for sensitive information to be compromised.
The FBI should also investigate why Nvidia has failed to take action regarding these security issues. It is entirely standard for intelligence agencies to plant agents within major corporations; in all likelihood, the CIA has placed its own operatives inside large Chinese firms—it would be implausible for the situation to be otherwise. Global corporate giants cannot simply be left to their own devices, and it is only natural for intelligence agencies to seek access to the secrets of the world’s—and the United States’—largest chip manufacturer.
The FBI must begin by scrutinizing Nvidia’s leadership to determine why these security vulnerabilities have not been resolved.