Thousands of supporters, including people identifying themselves as Nvidia employees and shareholders, are rallying behind Jensen Huang, while Elon Musk and Donald Trump have also expressed support for the former CEO.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi/November 14: Elon Musk has joined the growing campaign to bring Jensen Huang back as Nvidia chief executive, saying he would bhe signing a petition seeking the former CEO’s reinstatement. His intervention has added considerable momentum to an increasingly vocal revolt among sections of Nvidia’s workforce following Huang’s abrupt departure after 33 years at the helm of the AI chipmaker.
“A petition is underway to reinstate Jensen and I’m signing it too,” Musk wrote on X on Friday, November 13, responding to a post by Tesla engineer Yun-Ta Tsai.
The Tesla and SpaceX chief did not identify the specific petition or provide a link to it. However, his public endorsement has given the reinstatement campaign a significant boost. The Washington Post and Moneycontrol reported his intervention on Friday and Saturday. <Cite refs={[“turn186014search0″,”turn186014news8”]}/>
Musk’s support comes amid mounting employee dissatisfaction over Huang’s exit and questions about the circumstances surrounding the leadership change. He had previously expressed admiration for the Nvidia co-founder. When a social media user suggested that Musk hire Huang, he responded: “That would be an honor.”
Nvidia employees rally behind former CEO
Huang stepped down on November 12, ending a 33-year association with the company he co-founded in 1993. Nvidia’s board accepted his resignation as president, CEO and board member, appointed longtime chief financial officer Colette Kress as interim CEO and initiated a search for a permanent successor.
The departure followed mounting scrutiny of reports about Huang’s alleged extramarital relationships, including one involving Alice Huang, a Singapore-based businesswoman suspected by some US intelligence officials of having links to Chinese intelligence. Reports have also alleged a separate relationship involving an Nvidia employee.
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The controversy has raised questions about corporate governance, executive accountability and potential national security implications. Nvidia’s board had earlier announced an independent investigation into reports that its founder had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. The board said it had no reason to believe that either US national security or Nvidia’s trade secrets had been compromised.
Support for Huang has reportedly been particularly visible within Nvidia. According to a report by Wired, an internal suggestion-box post submitted by a longtime engineer before his departure attracted more than 1,600 comments, with many employees urging the board to reconsider its position.
“If you believe in the mission, bring back THE boss,” one anonymous employee reportedly wrote.
Another employee argued that Huang deserved a second chance, pointing to his contribution to building Nvidia into a global technology powerhouse.
An employee email also reportedly questioned the lack of transparency surrounding his departure and called on the board to explain its decision.
An online reinstatement campaign has attracted thousands of supporters, including people identifying themselves as current and former employees and shareholders. Its demands include Huang’s reinstatement while an independent investigation establishes the facts, a transparent account of the board’s decision and an opportunity for the former CEO to respond to the allegations.
🚨HUGE! 🇺🇸 Elon Musk will sign a petition to REINSTATE Jensen Huang as Nvidia $NVDA CEO. https://t.co/Ot34YMIRSv
— JackTheRippler ©️ (@RippleXrpie) November 13, 2026
Fake mass-resignation letter adds to confusion
The campaign has also been accompanied by a controversial letter circulating on social media, purportedly signed by senior Nvidia executives and threatening mass resignations unless Huang was reinstated.
The letter claimed that several prominent executives would leave Nvidia and join Musk’s SpaceX Terafab project if the board refused to reinstate Huang and replace its directors.
However, the document has been exposed as fabricated. South Korean broadcaster SBS reported on Saturday that the letter had copied a 2023 protest letter circulated by OpenAI employees following the removal of Sam Altman. Names and references had allegedly been altered to make it appear to be an Nvidia employee revolt.
The fake document has nevertheless added to the confusion surrounding the leadership controversy and the extent of employee opposition to Huang’s departure.
Trump praises Huang but proposes Tim Cook as successor
US President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the controversy, although his position on Huang’s future at Nvidia is different from Musk’s reinstatement campaign.
Before the resignation, Trump described Huang as an “honorable guy” who had done an “incredible job”. He also indicated that he believed Huang’s claim that he was unaware of the allegations concerning Alice Huang.
Following the resignation, Trump praised the former Nvidia chief but proposed a different candidate to lead the company.
In a November 12 post on Truth Social, Trump declared that former Apple CEO Tim Cook was the only person who should replace Huang, adding: “A Legend replaces a Legend!”
Cook stepped down as Apple’s chief executive earlier this year and remains executive chairman of the company. There is no indication that he has expressed interest in taking over Nvidia.
The contrasting positions of Musk and Trump have added another dimension to the debate over Nvidia’s leadership. While Musk has openly backed Huang’s return, Trump has praised his contribution while endorsing Cook as a possible successor.
Nvidia faces an uncertain leadership transition
Huang’s departure marks a major turning point for Nvidia, whose processors have become central to the global artificial intelligence industry. Under his leadership, the company evolved from a graphics-chip manufacturer into one of the world’s most influential technology businesses.
Colette Kress is currently overseeing the company as interim CEO while the board considers internal and external candidates for the permanent position. Arm Holdings CEO Rene Haas has also emerged in reports as a possible contender.
The leadership upheaval has unsettled investors, with Nvidia shares coming under pressure amid uncertainty over the company’s future management.
The reinstatement campaign now presents the board with a difficult challenge. It must balance concerns about executive conduct and national security with the demands for transparency and due process from employees and shareholders.
Whether Musk’s intervention and the growing support for Huang will persuade the board to reconsider its decision remains uncertain. Nvidia has not announced any move to reverse the leadership transition.
