WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump called on Thursday for former Apple chief executive Tim Cook to assume the leadership of semiconductor giant Nvidia following the abrupt resignation of longtime CEO Jensen Huang. Huang stepped down after disclosures regarding two personal relationships, including an alleged affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, prompting Nvidia’s board to appoint Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive while searching for a permanent successor.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump praised Huang’s tenure while endorsing Cook as the sole figure capable of taking the helm at the world’s leading artificial intelligence chipmaker, declaring that “a legend replaces a legend”. While the US president holds no formal authority over corporate board appointments at Nvidia, his public intervention highlights the exceptionally close ties he has cultivated with both Silicon Valley executives throughout his second administration.
Huang’s sudden exit sends shockwaves across the global technology sector, given Nvidia’s central role in powering artificial intelligence infrastructure worldwide. Trump has repeatedly defended the Taiwanese-born Nvidia co-founder in recent days, stating that Huang was unaware of espionage allegations surrounding Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang—who shares no familial relation with him—and describing the departing executive as suffering deeply from the fallout.
However, the White House continues to face scrutiny over when senior officials first learned of the national security concerns. According to reporting by The New York Times, Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed Trump regarding the intelligence suspicions aboard Air Force One in May, shortly before the president picked up Huang in Alaska to join his official state visit to Beijing.
Cook, who transitioned from Apple chief executive to executive chairman of the iPhone maker’s board in September, has similarly maintained frequent contact with the White House. In August 2025, Cook stood alongside Trump in the Oval Office to announce an expansion of Apple’s domestic US investment commitments to $600 billion amid looming tariff threats on foreign-manufactured electronics. During that visit, Cook presented the president with a bespoke glass plaque crafted by Corning and mounted on a 24-karat gold base, helping mend earlier friction over iPhone overseas assembly.
Both Cook and Huang joined Trump during his May trip to China and later attended a high-profile White House state banquet hosted for Chinese President Xi Jinping in September. As Nvidia initiates a formal executive search under newly appointed board chair Harvey C. Jones, market analysts remain focused on how the leadership transition will shape US semiconductor competitiveness and export controls.
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