Uber cofounder and ex-CEO Travis Kalanick has shared a guide for combating what he called a “modern-day coup/psyop/struggle session” after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang became embroiled in scandal.
Kalanick did not name Huang or Nvidia in his X post Monday, but his message appeared as scrutiny intensified over Huang’s admission that he had an extramarital affair.
At the center of the saga is Alice Huang, whom The New York Times reported last month was believed by US intelligence officials to be acting as a spy for the Chinese government.
In his X post, Kalanick detailed a 12-point list of “practical principles to counter” a reputational crisis.
“Own what you did but fiercely resist accommodating the mob, resist owning half-truths or actions/behaviors you didn’t do,” Kalanick wrote as the first principle on his list.
He followed that with, “The op is not about your past actions, it’s about your enemies and this event as their opportunity.”
Kalanick also suggested that any fallout may not be as dire as you think, writing, “No matter how bad it gets, nothing is as bad as it seems.”
The Uber cofounder’s advice included finding the “enemies at the very root of the op,” cutting off anyone suspected of disloyalty, and building a team of “close and loyal patriots” with one who can run a “well-resourced war room.”
“Your enemies aren’t as smart or hard working as you,” Kalanick wrote in point nine. “Outsmart and outwork them as a way of life until the op is over.”
He also urged those facing such a situation to carry on with “business as usual,” adding, “Continue on with optimism and joy in your everyday work and its mission.”
Additionally, Kalanick advised downloading the encrypted messaging app Telegram for “all sensitive communications.”
At the top of the post, Kalanick said he had “a little time on my hands this morning to do some writing” and encouraged followers to “send along to someone you know who may benefit.”
Kalanick did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether he may have had Jensen Huang in mind.
Uber investors pressured Kalanick to resign as the ride-hailing company’s CEO in 2017 after a series of scandals roiled the company.
Meanwhile, Jensen Huang’s admission that he was “unfaithful” to his wife of over 40 years has prompted Nvidia to launch an independent investigation into whether he was the “target of a foreign intelligence effort.”
Nvidia’s board has said it has confidence in his leadership, though the scandal has raised questions about whether he will remain CEO of the $4.5 trillion AI chipmaker.
