Trump suggests Tim Cook replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO

Originally published on The Daily Flare.

President Donald Trump on Thursday, November 12, suggested Apple executive chairman Tim Cook replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia chief executive, hours after Huang resigned from the chipmaker.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who has done a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man to take his place – TIM COOK of Apple.” He added: “A Legend replaces a Legend!” Politico reported that the post came shortly after Nvidia announced Huang’s departure.

Cook is no longer Apple’s chief executive. He stepped down in September after leading the company for 15 years, according to The Hill, and John Ternus, previously a senior vice president, took over as CEO. Cook remains executive chairman of Apple’s board, Axios reported.

Nvidia’s chief financial officer, Colette Kress, has taken over as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor, Axios reported. The company announced Huang’s resignation as immediate, The Hill said. Trump’s post did not announce an appointment or change Nvidia’s interim arrangement.

Cook’s name had surfaced in prediction-market speculation about who might take over, Axios reported, although he was not leading the field. Trump has praised Cook before, Axios said, and described Huang as “a Legend” in his Thursday post.

Huang’s departure followed scrutiny of allegations involving his personal relationships. The New York Times reported that US authorities had identified Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang as a Chinese intelligence asset and that she had illegally smuggled advanced AI chips into China while developing a close relationship with Jensen Huang. The Hill reported that Nvidia’s board began an investigation after those allegations were reported.

Nvidia’s board said it had “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets” were compromised by Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, The Hill reported. The company later hired former acting US Attorney Joon H. Kim and his firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, to conduct an independent investigation, according to The Hill.

A separate report also drew attention to Huang’s conduct. The New York Times reported that he had a relationship with a senior Nvidia executive who reports to him, citing five people who worked at the company, The Hill said. Bloomberg reported that Huang had acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and apologized, saying: “My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry.”

The controversy had reached Capitol Hill before Trump’s recommendation. Republican lawmakers called for Huang to appear at a closed-door briefing on November 18 to address concerns about Nvidia’s security protocols and his interactions with Alice Huang, The Hill reported. The board’s investigation and the search for a permanent CEO are separate matters: Kress is in the interim role as Nvidia considers its next leader.

Huang had led Nvidia for more than three decades, Business Insider reported. Axios described him as a major force behind the expansion of AI infrastructure. Trump’s post offered Cook as his choice but did not indicate that Cook had accepted the proposal or that Nvidia had selected him.