A seemingly wholesome social media post from Nvidia on Veterans Day inadvertently showed why keeping embattled Jensen Huang as chief executive was almost impossible.
On Wednesday, as the US observed Veterans Day, Nvidia employees gathered and watched Marines methodically unfold and raise the US flag at the company's California headquarters.
"This Veterans Day, we honour all who have served, including veterans across our Nvidia community," read the caption accompanying the video on several of the company's social media platforms. "Thank you for your service."
During any other time in Nvidia's history, and if just about any other company had posted something similar, the reaction would have mostly been positive.
But its now former chief executive Jensen Huang's admission to infidelity with an accused Chinese spy, and reports that he also had an affair with a former Nvidia executive, opened the company's Veterans Day to criticism.
"Ironically, the Marines motto is 'Semper Fidelis', which means 'Always Faithful'. You can't script this," wrote one of about 160 people who commented on the post.
"You should maybe take a break from posting," wrote another.
About the same time as Nvidia's Veterans Day video was posted on Wednesday, The New York Times reported people close to the company claiming that Mr Huang had another affair, with a former Nvidia executive.
"What about Kimberly Powell?" read another comment on Nvidia's Veterans Day video post.
Top executives have survived such media coverage in the past, but the problem for Nvidia and Mr Huang proved to be the national security concerns related to AI.
For several years, Mr Huang has criticised export bans preventing US technology from being acquired and used by China, which the US has regarded with increased hostility over the past decade.
Republicans and Democrats often criticised Mr Huang for his public statements that the strict export laws hurt the US more than helping, and that the policies should be changed.
He was familiar with the Oval Office, where he seemed to successfully convince President Donald Trump late last year to relax some of the export policies affecting China.
Republicans and Democrats were irked, but even more so after the revelation on Sunday about Mr Huang's romantic relationship with Alice Huang, a technology executive who US officials say was a spy for China.
Subsequent media reports implied that he was doing everything he could to try to undermine US export laws, and that various companies in China were able to circumvent them.
Chris McGuire, a senior fellow for emerging technologies at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in Washington, told Bloomberg on Monday that Mr Huang and Nvidia should be held accountable.
"You have the CEO of one of the biggest companies in America, that is potentially compromised by the Chinese and they have some information on him – it really needs to be looked into," Mr McGuire said.
In a social media post on X, Mr McGuire said some members of the Trump administration had tried to convey that Mr Huang had been compromised, while others seemed to disregard it.
One year ago, during Nvidia's GTC conference in Washington, the company wrapped itself in the US flag.
Mr Huang walked on stage in front of thousands after a video played highlighting US achievements in technology.
“It’s difficult not to be sentimental about America after watching that video,” he said.
Last Sunday, however, Mr Huang's admitted affair with a woman reported to be a Chinese spy confirmed his critics' worst fears.
On Veterans Day, Nvidia's video with the Marines showed that the repercussions of Mr Huang and his company's alleged actions were not going away any time soon.
"Where is the Chinese flag?" another comment read adjacent to the video.
"What about Chinese veterans?" wrote another.
Others, however, were quick to say the main focus of all the anger directed towards Nvidia was that the company did not seem to mind its most powerful chips being used by China.
"I'm not a Chinese spy, can I have a 5090?" another person commented, referring to the graphics processing unit that Nvidia describes as the "most powerful" consumer GPU "ever made".
Nvidia's attempt to show that it was committed to US national security and the soldiers that protect it, had backfired.
On Thursday, less than 24 hours after the Veterans Day video was posted, Nvidia's board of directors announced that Mr Huang had resigned.
Colette Kress, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will act as interim chief executive.
