In a recent interview on 60 Minutes and comments aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the most advanced chips produced by Nvidia—specifically the “Blackwell” line—will be reserved exclusively for U.S. companies. He asserted that these chips “will not be given to other people,” signalling a potential tightening of export controls far beyond what the government had previously indicated. Reuters+1
What Trump said
Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes that “the most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States.” Investing.com+1 On the plane, he reiterated: “We don’t give (the Blackwell) chip to other people.” Reuters While emphasising the restriction, he did leave room for “less advanced” versions of the chip to be considered for other countries, although this was not explicitly confirmed. The Straits Times
Why it matters
Nvidia’s Blackwell chips represent some of the most advanced AI hardware in the world. They’re instrumental not only in commercial applications but also in high-performance computing, AI model training and defence-related uses. By declaring that these chips will remain off-limits to foreign buyers—especially China—Trump is underscoring the U.S.’s intent to maintain its edge in the global AI race.
China has long been a flash-point in semiconductor export discussions, and Nvidia’s business in the country has been constrained by export licences and regulatory obstacles. The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, recently admitted the company had not applied for export licences to ship Blackwell chips to China. Reuters
This announcement marks a possible escalation in export controls. While earlier policy allowed exports of downgraded chips under cautious terms, Trump’s comments suggest the most powerful versions will be strictly U.S.-only.
What does it mean for global tech?
- For Nvidia, this reinforces its role as a gatekeeper of cutting-edge AI hardware, and it could face increased demand from U.S. firms looking to leverage its technology.
- For China and other global buyers, access to top-tier AI chips may become even more restricted, accelerating internal efforts to build indigenous hardware alternatives.
- For the AI industry, this move underscores how geopolitical considerations are deeply intertwined with technology and supply-chain dynamics.
Potential consequences and risks
Policies like this may provoke retaliation or push targeted countries to accelerate self-sufficiency efforts. Analysts warned such actions could raise the stakes of the global AI roads race and trigger technology decoupling.
Moreover, for companies like Nvidia, reliance on one market for its top hardware may concentrate risk—whether from regulatory shifts or geopolitical tensions.
Final takeaway
By declaring that Nvidia’s Blackwell chips are for U.S. use only, Trump has sent a clear message: leading-edge AI hardware is now part of the national-security toolkit. The decision may reshape how companies, countries and technologies engage in the coming era of artificial intelligence.