'That'd be an honour': Elon Musk says he would hire Jensen Huang if Nvidia board fires him

Elon Musk has offered a warm show of support to Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang as uncertainty grows over Huang's future at the chipmaker following reports of two alleged extramarital affairs.

Musk responded positively to a social media appeal asking him to hire Huang after a report said Nvidia's board was preparing to remove its chief executive. The board has reportedly opened an investigation, while Huang has acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and taken "full responsibility".

Elon Musk says hiring Jensen Huang would be 'an honor'

Responding on X on Thursday to a post from financial blog ZeroHedge that said, "Elon please hire Jensen", Musk wrote: "That would be an honor." The exchange on Thursday drew close to a million views within hours.

Nvidia board reportedly weighs Jensen Huang's removal

Musk's response followed a Wall Street Journal report published on Wednesday that said Nvidia's board was preparing to remove Huang. Citing people familiar with the matter, the newspaper reported that the move followed two extramarital affairs, including one with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.

The directors were said to be meeting as early as Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether a decision had been reached, and Nvidia has not publicly confirmed any plan to remove Huang.

The matter first came to light in a memo to employees on Sunday, in which Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and took "full responsibility", without providing details.

The board subsequently opened an investigation into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The New York Times separately reported that he also had a relationship with a company executive. Nvidia shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading, according to Reuters.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk reportedly defend Huang

Musk is not the only prominent figure to side with Huang. Both Musk and US President Donald Trump have reportedly come to his defence while the board investigates. Trump has called Huang an honourable man who has done a great job for the country.

Musk and Huang share business and political ties

Huang and Musk travelled with Trump on Air Force One to Beijing in May for talks with China's leader. Nvidia is also a key supplier to Musk's companies.

Fortune reported in 2024 that Musk was a voracious buyer of Nvidia's artificial intelligence training chips, with Tesla more than doubling its computing capacity in a single quarter. The chips are central to the AI ambitions of Tesla and Musk's other ventures.

Jensen Huang's role in Nvidia's rise

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and built it from a maker of gaming graphics chips into the dominant supplier of processors for artificial intelligence. The company is valued at roughly $4 trillion.

Musk's response has added to the public support for Huang as Nvidia's board examines the allegations. Huang's departure would leave a major leadership vacuum at the chipmaker, with no formal succession plan reportedly in place.