Elon Musk, Tech Execs Sign Petition to Reinstate Jensen Huang at Nvidia

A petition calling on Nvidia (NVDA) to reinstate recently ousted CEO Jensen Huang attracted more than 115,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon, according to the petition's website. Signers include 5,965 current Nvidia employees, 1,108 former employees and 63,063 shareholders, with notable support from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Replit CEO Amjad Masad and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.

The petition states its signers are concerned that Jensen was removed without meaningful due process and demands the board bring him back while an independent investigation establishes the facts. It also calls on the board to ensure a fair investigation and provide more information to the public. The petition argues Huang deserves due process, not mob justice.

Huang resigned on Thursday, several days after confessing to an affair with a chip executive identified by U.S. intelligence as a suspected Chinese spy. News reports have also suggested Huang engaged in multiple extramarital affairs. Nvidia's resignation announcement did not state a reason, and an independent board investigation was underway at the time of his departure.

Nvidia appointed CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO while it searches for a permanent replacement. The company's stock fell 2% on Friday. Huang's departure is also expected to leave a big gap in AI industry funding, according to news reports.

The petition's signers span current and former employees as well as shareholders, reflecting broad support across Nvidia's stakeholder base for a deliberate process rather than a rushed replacement. The board has not publicly responded to the petition or the investor letters urging a slower CEO search.