From chips to the White House... the relationship between Trump and the head of “NVIDIA”

Developments related to NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang have brought back the spotlight on his close relationship with US President Donald Trump, after reports of a personal relationship between Huang and Alice Huang, a former executive at a Singapore-based company, who US authorities concluded was working for Chinese intelligence. These developments come at a time when the head of the largest chip companies specializing in artificial intelligence is facing an investigation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in addition to a meeting of the company’s board of directors to discuss his future.

Trump said on Monday that he spoke with Huang after the case came to light, and that the latter told him that he did not know that the woman was working for China, adding that he believed him and believed that his situation would be good. But the case has re-examined the nature of the ties between the US President and one of his most prominent allies in the technology sector, after they had repeated meetings over the past two years, coinciding with Nvidia’s efforts to expand sales of artificial intelligence chips to the Chinese market.

Frequent meetings since Trump returned to the White House

The announced meetings between Trump and Huang began in January 2025, during the first month of the Republican president's return to the White House, and Trump described the meeting at the time as good.

In July of the same year, Huang met Trump at the White House before his visit to China, and then the US President praised him during an artificial intelligence summit, inviting him to stand in front of the audience and praising his achievements. The meeting was repeated in August, at a time when the US administration and the company were holding talks about allowing the export of advanced chips to China.

In September 2025, Huang accompanied Trump during a state visit to Britain, before participating in November of the same year in the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, which was held during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the US capital. Huang spoke at the forum about the future of artificial intelligence.

In December, Trump received him again in Washington, and praised him, indicating that the head of NVIDIA knew his position on the restrictions imposed on chip exports. On the same day, Huang met with US lawmakers, warning that the multiplicity of state-level regulations would slow the development of artificial intelligence in the United States.

Chinese chips are at the heart of convergence

The rapprochement between the two sides coincided with Nvidia's efforts to obtain approvals to market its advanced chips in China, at a time when lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties called for stopping exports of this technology to Beijing.

In January 2026, the Trump administration began allowing the export of some advanced H200 chips to China on a case-by-case basis, without lifting restrictions imposed on institutions listed on the US trade ban lists.

Huang had defended the continuation of American sales to China, considering that making American technology available to Chinese customers would keep them dependent on American products, a position also adopted by the Trump administration, in exchange for warnings that these exports might enhance Chinese technological and military capabilities.

In March 2026, the White House selected Huang as a member of the 13-member President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which advises on artificial intelligence policies and other issues.

From visiting China to presidential honors

In May 2026, Huang joined a delegation of technology company heads that accompanied Trump during his visit to China and his meeting with President Xi Jinping. Trump had requested at the last minute that the president of Nvidia join the trip, and he was seen boarding the presidential plane, Air Force One, during its stop in Alaska to refuel on its way to Beijing.

In September, Huang met with Trump at the White House along with a number of leaders of technology companies, after the US President announced that the heads of artificial intelligence companies, including Huang, had signed a voluntary pledge regarding safety and support for the expansion of data centers. Trump described the pledge as “morally binding,” but faced criticism for not specifying clear consequences if he did not adhere to it.

The week before that meeting, Huang attended an official dinner hosted by the White House in honor of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He also spoke in the middle of the same month during an artificial intelligence summit in Los Angeles, and received a phone call from Trump, which he put on loudspeaker in front of the audience. During the call, which lasted about five minutes, the US President described concerns about the safety of artificial intelligence as a “hoax.”

In October, Trump awarded Huang the National Medal of Science, the highest American honor for scientists and engineers, along with a number of technology sector leaders. On the same day, the US President revealed that he had bought shares in Nvidia worth up to $1.6 million, and sold shares worth up to one million dollars during the summer of 2026.

The Washington Post also reported in mid-October that Nvidia had pledged $25 million to help fund the celebration hall that Trump plans to create in the White House.

The case re-raises questions of relationship

With the emergence of allegations related to Huang and Alice Huang, Trump returned to defending the head of NVIDIA, saying in statements he made on November 9 that he asked him if he knew that the woman worked for Chinese intelligence, and that Huang denied knowing that. The US President added that he believes him, noting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case.

These developments place the relationship between the White House and Nvidia under increasing scrutiny, especially since the rapprochement between Trump and Huang was not limited to personal meetings, but rather extended to sensitive political and economic files, most notably the regulation of artificial intelligence and the future of American chip exports to China.

The countries of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) are preparing to launch a joint system for storing petroleum derivatives starting in 2027, in a step aimed at enhancing regional energy security and ensuring the availability of supplies in emergency situations, by allowing the exchange of fuel between member states and benefiting from stocks held by companies in other countries.

The Japanese economic newspaper Nikkei reported on Thursday that the initial storage sites will be established in Indonesia and Thailand, with the first phase allowing the Philippines to purchase diesel and gasoline stored in the two countries when crises or supply interruptions occur.

Subsidiaries of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) are expected to sign letters of intent with storage facility operators in Indonesia and Thailand on Saturday, in preparation for implementing the initiative.

A system that provides access to stocks

The program relies on a mechanism known as the “ticket” system, which allows participating countries or companies to pay advance fees in exchange for obtaining the right to purchase specific quantities of oil derivatives stored with companies in another country, when an emergency occurs.

This mechanism is used in the European Union, as it allows countries to secure access to supplies stored outside their borders, without the need to directly own storage facilities or fuel.

The initiative is led by the ASEAN and East Asian Economic Research Foundation (ERIA), an international research center established in Indonesia at the initiative of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Expanding the initiative to other countries

According to the report, Laos and East Timor are considering joining the program, which may expand in the future to include all ASEAN countries, while examining the possibility of including crude oil alongside refined products within the joint storage system.

Japan is pushing for this initiative to enhance energy security in the region, in the wake of the disruptions witnessed in oil supplies and trade as a result of the Iranian war, and the importance it demonstrated of diversifying sources of supply and providing regional arrangements to deal with disruptions.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce cooperation in the field of joint oil storage during the Asia Zero Emissions Community Summit, scheduled to be held in Manila on November 17.

The initiative reflects a trend towards strengthening cooperation between Southeast Asian countries in managing energy risks, by creating mechanisms that allow benefiting from the reserves available in the region, instead of each country relying on its local reserves alone.

Speculation about Jensen Huang's future at the helm of Nvidia opens the door to questions about the person who could take over the leadership of one of the largest technology companies in the world, if the board of directors decides to end his executive presidency. While the company does not have, according to media reports, an announced succession plan, specialized circles are circulating a group of names that include current executives, members of the Huang family, and figures who have previously led major companies in the technology sector.

This speculation came after NVIDIA's board of directors held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss Huang's future in leadership of the company, according to what was reported by American media. The 63-year-old co-founder and CEO is facing increased scrutiny following reports of extramarital affairs, including allegations involving Alice Huang, a data center official who has been accused by US intelligence services of working for the Chinese Ministry of State Security. These accusations, in and of themselves, do not constitute proof of the validity of these allegations.

Leaders within Nvidia

Names coming from within the company appear to be among the options offered, given the experience of its officials in managing its business and their understanding of the nature of its operations. Colette Cress, Chief Financial Officer, stands out as one of the most widely discussed figures in this context, by virtue of her position within the company’s senior management and her supervision of its financial files, according to Agence France-Presse.

The name of Ian Buck, a veteran NVIDIA official, is also mentioned, who supervises the company's clients in the data center sector, and had a major role in developing the software that allows customers to operate its processors.

The name of Brian Catanzaro, vice president of applied research in deep learning, is also on the list of potential candidates, according to what was reported by the “Ink” business magazine.

Family members in the nominations department

Speculation is not limited to executive leadership, as it includes members of the Huang family. His daughter Madison, who holds the position of senior director of product marketing at NVIDIA, stands out after working for several years in the luxury goods group LVMH.

His son Spencer, who works as director of product management in the company's robotics unit, is also named.

Another notable name is Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, a competitor in the semiconductor sector, who is Huang's cousin. Su combines kinship and long executive experience in the chip industry, making her a name on the table in speculation regarding any possible change in Nvidia's leadership.

Options from outside the company

Outside of Nvidia, Rene Haas, CEO of the British chip design company ARM, stands out as one of the names covered by the specialized media.

The list also includes Tim Cook, former CEO of Apple, who left his position in August after 15 years leading the company. His name is being mentioned among the people who might be considered for the position, although his move to NVIDIA remains an uncertain possibility.

In the absence of an announced succession plan, these names remain within the framework of media speculation, while any possible change depends on the decision of the Board of Directors and the nature of the stage that the company may enter, whose expansion in the artificial intelligence market has been linked to Huang’s image and leadership since its founding in 1993.