Ousted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, known for his public image of affability, allegedly had a history of intense temper tantrums and harsh verbal outbursts in the office, according to company insiders cited by The Post. These incidents reportedly occurred as Huang drove Nvidia's business growth.
Sources close to the company described marathon meetings where Huang would publicly berate employees. One incident from February 2026, detailed by sources, involved Huang addressing Jay Puri, then Nvidia's executive vice president of worldwide field operations, in front of more than 30 executives. Huang reportedly said, "I hope you get the flu and I hope it gets worse. I hope you die and put us all out of our misery." Puri, who has since moved to a senior adviser role, could not be reached for comment. The specific issue discussed during that meeting was not immediately known.
This confrontational style was reportedly characteristic of Huang's leadership, particularly given that over 60 top executives reported directly to him. The severity of these outbursts was such that some employees expressed surprise they had not surfaced earlier.
Another incident recounted involved a three-hour meeting in 2025 where Huang directed aggressive language at a senior sales leader. "You don't know dick about my business," Huang allegedly stated to the executive in front of approximately 40 staff members.
In a separate confrontation, Huang reportedly lost his temper with a senior leader during a meeting, shouting, "Are you smirking at me? I see nothing but dead faces… Get out!" before expelling the executive from the room. Sources also recalled an instance at Nvidia's Santa Clara, California, headquarters where Huang allegedly threw a water bottle at a top executive during a meeting.
Huang resigned on November 12, 2026, after admitting to an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, who is described as a suspected Chinese spy. He is also reported to have had affairs with at least two other women, including Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care.
In another reported clash, Huang interrupted interim CEO Colette Kress during a presentation in August, calling her "a deer in the headlights." The Wall Street Journal also reported this incident.
Stephen Witt, author of "The Thinking Machine," wrote in The New York Times that Huang's outward humility was a facade for arrogance and intolerance for disagreement. Witt claimed that contradicting Huang, even on minor points, could trigger explosive anger and insults regarding the other person's intelligence.
Huang's assertive style extended to interactions with other executives. At a conference in Berlin, he reportedly told several tech CEOs about a Japanese soup vendor who refused to serve him a second bowl, implying the vendor was a better businessperson for managing scarcity and maintaining prices. Huang allegedly used this anecdote to criticize the tech CEOs, stating, "You are not establishing the value of my products."
Nvidia has not commented on these allegations. Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO while the board seeks a permanent successor. Huang has retained legal counsel in preparation for testimony before Congress regarding his affairs and Nvidia's dealings with Megaspeed, an AI firm led by Alice Huang, which US officials suspect of smuggling advanced AI chips to China.