Elon Musk backs petition to restore Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO

Elon Musk has added his backing to calls to reverse Nvidia’s leadership change, saying Friday, November 13, that he had signed a petition for Jensen Huang’s reinstatement. By Saturday afternoon, a public petition was reporting more than 115,000 signatures and asking directors to restore Huang while an independent investigation establishes the facts.

A resignation, then a public appeal

Huang resigned Thursday, November 12. According to The Washington Post, he acknowledged an affair with a woman whom some in the intelligence community have alleged was a Chinese spy. The alleged connection does not establish that Huang engaged in espionage.

Nvidia appointed its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, interim CEO while it searches for a permanent replacement.

Musk made his support public the next day. “A petition is underway to reinstate Jensen and I’m signing it too,” he wrote on X, according to The Washington Post. The Post said it was not immediately clear which one he had signed.

The petition asks for return before resolution

It also calls for a fair investigation and more information for the public.

The petition says its supporters are concerned Huang was removed without meaningful due process.

5,965Current Nvidia employees

The website listed 5,965 current employees among its signers, TechCrunch reported.

1,108Former Nvidia employees

The website also listed 1,108 former employees.

63,063Shareholders

It listed 63,063 shareholders. These figures are the petition website’s reported counts.

TechCrunch named Musk, Replit CEO Amjad Masad and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney among the public petition’s notable supporters.

There was also an internal call for Huang’s return. The Post cited Wired’s Thursday reporting that an appeal circulating inside Nvidia had received more than 1,600 comments, most supporting his return.