US President Donald Trump has indicated that Nvidia’s most advanced artificial intelligence chips will be available exclusively to US companies. China and other countries will be excluded from access to this technology.
During a recorded interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes program and in conversations with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump emphasized that only US customers will be allowed to use Nvidia’s latest Blackwell chips. According to him, these powerful semiconductors must remain in US hands to protect the country’s technological lead.
With these statements, Trump seems to be hinting at stricter export rules for advanced AI hardware than previously expected. This would mean that countries such as China, and possibly also allies, would not have access to the most modern American chips.
The announcement comes shortly after Nvidia announced that it would supply more than 260,000 Blackwell AI chips to South Korea, including to major players such as Samsung Electronics. That news prompted questions about exactly how far the American export restrictions would extend.
Since August, there has been speculation that China could receive a watered-down version of Nvidia’s chips. Trump said in the interview that he will block the sale of the most advanced variants to Chinese companies, but that there may still be room for a lighter version. He indicated that cooperation with Nvidia is not ruled out, as long as it does not involve the top models.
Congressman against delivery
This possibility is meeting with resistance in Washington. Critics fear that even limited exports of Blackwell chips would help China accelerate its military capabilities and AI developments. Congressman John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, compared allowing such sales to supplying nuclear material to an enemy state.
Trump previously indicated he might raise the chip issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their summit in South Korea, but later said the subject did not come up.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently stated that the company has not applied for US export licenses for China, partly due to the Chinese government’s negative attitude. According to Huang, Nvidia needs access to the Chinese market to generate sufficient revenue for research and development in the United States.