TLDR
- Trump announced Nvidia’s most advanced Blackwell AI chips will remain exclusive to U.S. companies and cannot be sold to China or other nations.
- The president will permit China and other countries to purchase less powerful Nvidia chips but reserves top-tier technology for America.
- Nvidia stock gained 1.4% to $205.31 in premarket trading Monday after Trump’s announcement on CBS “60 Minutes.”
- The policy appears stricter than earlier indications, though Nvidia recently committed to supplying 260,000 Blackwell chips to South Korea.
- CEO Jensen Huang said Nvidia hasn’t pursued Chinese export licenses because Beijing doesn’t want the company operating there currently.
President Trump set firm boundaries Sunday on Nvidia chip exports. The company’s most powerful Blackwell processors will stay exclusively in U.S. hands.
Trump delivered the news during his CBS “60 Minutes” interview and to reporters on Air Force One. When asked if Nvidia could sell top chips to China, he responded with a direct “No, we won’t do that.”
The president clarified he will allow international Nvidia transactions for less capable chips. “We will let them deal with Nvidia, but not in terms of the most advanced,” Trump said.
He stressed the cutting-edge technology belongs to America. “The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States,” the president told CBS.
Nvidia shares jumped 1.4% to $205.31 in Monday premarket trading following the announcement. The company recently crossed the $5 trillion market cap threshold after Trump previously suggested flexibility on export controls during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Export Policy Creates Questions
Trump’s restrictions may extend beyond China alone. The policy appears tighter than what administration officials had previously indicated.
Nvidia just announced a major South Korean deal Friday. The company will supply over 260,000 Blackwell AI chips to Samsung Electronics and other Korean firms.
Trump didn’t completely close the door on China. He left open the possibility of selling downgraded Blackwell versions to Chinese companies while maintaining the ban on top-tier models.
China hawks in Washington have criticized any potential Blackwell sales to Beijing. Republican Congressman John Moolenaar compared such deals to “giving Iran weapons-grade uranium.”
Trump mentioned discussing Blackwell chips with Xi before their South Korea summit. The topic never materialized during their actual meeting.
Nvidia CEO Addresses China Market
CEO Jensen Huang spoke about China at Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference. Beijing has blocked Nvidia from the Chinese market, according to Huang.
“They’ve made it very clear that they don’t want Nvidia to be there right now,” the CEO stated. Nvidia hasn’t requested U.S. export licenses for China because of Beijing’s position.
Huang expressed hope for future Chinese sales when asked at the APEC summit in South Korea. “I hope so someday,” he said regarding Blackwell chip exports to China.
The CEO believes Chinese market access benefits both nations. He noted Nvidia needs the Chinese market to fund American research and development efforts.
Trump praised Huang and the Blackwell technology in recent statements. He called the chips “super duper” and estimated they’re “probably 10 years ahead of any other chip.”
The president described Huang as “amazing.” Trump positioned America as an “arbitrator or referee” for potential China-Nvidia negotiations.
U.S. AI Leadership Strategy
Trump told CBS that American AI dominance comes from electricity production policies. “We’re winning it because we’re producing electricity like never before by allowing the companies to make their own electricity, which was my idea,” he explained.
The administration’s July AI blueprint aimed to expand exports to allies while maintaining technological superiority over China. The plan included loosening environmental regulations.
Nvidia recently became the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization. The chip manufacturer leads the AI semiconductor market with its advanced processors powering most major AI systems.