Nvidia (NVDA) Stock: Huang Meets Trump as AI Chip Export Rules Heat Up

TLDR

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met President Trump Wednesday to discuss chip export restrictions and AI regulation
• The GAIN AI Act requiring U.S. customer priority won’t be included in the defense bill
• Huang warned state-by-state AI rules could halt industry progress and threaten national security
• Trump confirmed his export control position is clear to Huang
• Huang dismissed GPU smuggling fears, citing each chip’s two-ton weight and $3 million price tag

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spent Wednesday navigating the political landscape in Washington. His agenda included a high-profile meeting with President Trump centered on chip export policy.

The timing matters. Lawmakers are debating whether to impose new restrictions on AI chip exports in the annual defense authorization bill.

NVIDIA Corporation, NVDA

Huang told reporters he and Trump “talked in general about export controls.” The CEO emphasized Nvidia’s support for controls that keep American companies first in line for the best chips.

The administration is weighing whether to approve Nvidia’s sale of H200 chips to China. These chips trail the company’s current flagship models by one generation.

GAIN AI Act Fails to Advance

The proposed GAIN AI Act would force chipmakers to offer AI chips to U.S. customers before seeking export licenses for countries like China. Bloomberg sources say it won’t appear in the National Defense Authorization Act.

Nvidia argued the legislation would hamper global AI market competition. The company actively lobbied against the measure.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise confirmed insufficient support for the provision. He pledged continued efforts toward establishing a national AI standard.

State Regulation Battle Intensifies

Huang took aim at state-level AI regulation during his Capitol Hill rounds. His language left little room for interpretation.

Federal regulation represents “the wisest” path forward, according to the CEO. He argued rapid AI advancement depends on unified national standards.

The AI industry formed the “Leading the Future” super PAC to combat state regulations. Tech companies view patchwork state rules as an existential threat.

Trump pushed last month for federal preemption of state AI laws. That provision also missed the cut for the current defense bill.

Scalise said lawmakers will keep pursuing a national framework. The legislative fight continues into next year.

At a Center for Strategic and International Studies event, Huang confronted smuggling allegations head-on. Critics claim Nvidia chips are reaching banned countries through illegal channels.

The CEO cited physical realities. Data center GPUs weigh two tons and contain 1.5 million parts. They draw 200,000 watts and cost $3 million each.

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