More than 1,600 comments have appeared on an internal Nvidia discussion urging the company to reconsider Jensen Huang's departure, as employees rally behind the co-founder who led the chipmaker for more than three decades.

The extraordinary show of support comes after Huang resigned as CEO on November 12, 2026, amid reports of multiple extramarital relationships and an ongoing investigation into potential national security concerns.

But while the internal campaign has attracted considerable attention, there is an important distinction: the 1,600 figure represents comments on an employee discussion, not necessarily 1,600 individual workers signing a formal petition.

Why Nvidia employees want Jensen Huang back

According to WIRED, which reviewed internal company correspondence, the discussion began before Huang's resignation, when a longtime Nvidia engineer submitted a post asking the board to consider employees' opinions before making a decision about his leadership.

The thread subsequently attracted more than 1,600 comments, with the majority reportedly supporting Huang's reinstatement.

Some employees argued that the executive's achievements deserved consideration despite his personal conduct. Others questioned why such a consequential leadership change occurred before the company's independent investigation had concluded.

One employee told WIRED that Nvidia's identity was inseparable from Huang's leadership. The publication also reported that approximately two dozen employees publicly expressed support for him on LinkedIn shortly after his departure.

Another employee sent a companywide email demanding greater transparency about the circumstances surrounding the resignation.

These reactions reveal a genuine disagreement between some members of Nvidia's workforce and the direction taken by its leadership. They do not, however, establish how the company's entire workforce feels about Huang's return.

What happened before Huang resigned?

The timing of the resignation helps explain why employees are demanding answers.

On November 8, Huang publicly acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a message to Nvidia employees, apologising to his family and colleagues.

That same day, Nvidia's board announced an independent investigation following reports that Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort.

At the time, the board stated that it had no reason to believe company secrets or national security had been compromised and expressed confidence in Huang's leadership.

On November 10, independent directors confirmed they had appointed former acting US Attorney Joon H. Kim and law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct the investigation.

However, the leadership situation changed rapidly as further allegations concerning Huang's relationships with Nvidia employees emerged in news reports.

According to Nvidia's official filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the board accepted Huang's resignation on November 11. The company publicly announced his departure the following day.

The distinction matters because the resignation had already been formally accepted before the public announcement and before the investigation's findings were released.

Could Jensen Huang actually return as Nvidia CEO?

Despite employees' appeals, Nvidia has already put a new leadership structure in place.

In its November 12 announcement, the company confirmed that chief financial officer Colette Kress would become interim CEO while continuing her existing financial responsibilities.

Harvey C. Jones was also appointed chairman of the board, with Nvidia launching a search for a permanent chief executive that will consider both internal and external candidates.

The company's official announcement thanked Huang for his contributions but did not suggest that reinstatement was under consideration.

Nor does the internal discussion establish that the board has formally received or agreed to act on a collective request from employees. WIRED reported that Nvidia and Jones had not immediately responded to questions about the campaign.

Consequently, Huang's return remains a demand from some employees rather than an announced possibility within Nvidia's succession process.

There is also a significant unresolved question surrounding the investigation itself. Nvidia has not publicly released findings establishing whether its security concerns were substantiated, leaving employees and shareholders without a complete account of the issues examined by the board.

For Nvidia, the immediate challenge extends beyond choosing a successor. The company must maintain confidence among employees, investors and customers while managing the departure of the executive who helped establish its position at the centre of the artificial intelligence industry.

Its next scheduled financial milestone is November 17, when Nvidia is due to report third-quarter fiscal 2027 results. The company's leadership transition will provide an important backdrop to that announcement, even as the search for Huang's permanent replacement continues.