Photo: Nvidia
Trump calls Nvidia CEO personally to join China trip amid chip diplomacy tensions
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joins US presidential delegation amid semiconductor tensions with China.
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Add us on Google by Vivian Nguyen May. 12, 2026Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will join President Donald Trump’s trip to China, added to the delegation shortly before departure and set to board Air Force One during a stopover in Alaska.
Huang had not been included in the original group of US business leaders accompanying Trump, which featured executives such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Officials said Trump personally extended the invitation, prompting Huang to travel to Anchorage to meet the president’s aircraft.
Nvidia said Huang is attending at the invitation of the president to support US objectives. His inclusion comes against the backdrop of ongoing US-China tensions over semiconductor exports, where Nvidia has been both subject to restrictions and a key participant in policy negotiations.
The company has previously secured limited approvals for chip sales to China while facing continued curbs on more advanced AI processors.
Xi and Trump prepare for talks amid strained global power balance
With a high-profile summit approaching between Xi Jinping and Trump, both governments are emphasizing relative stability in US-China relations, even as major geopolitical and economic disputes are unresolved.
The agenda is expected to be broad but incremental, with limited expectations for breakthroughs. Trade tensions remain managed under a fragile truce following years of tariff escalation and retaliation, though both sides continue to impose targeted restrictions and countermeasures. Officials are considering new dialogue structures to keep economic communication open.
Technology competition still stands as a defining issue, particularly US restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to China. While American firms such as Nvidia have pushed for greater market access, Washington has maintained tight controls, prompting Beijing to accelerate efforts toward technological independence.
The summit may also address the ongoing war in Iran, including China’s relationship with Tehran. However, China has shown limited appetite for deeper involvement in Middle East conflict mediation.
Why Huang’s presence matters
Nvidia commands 80-85% of the AI accelerator market by revenue, a dominant position in data center chips. Its market cap has reached about $5.3 trillion, ranking it among history’s most valuable companies. Huang’s meetings with top leaders, like boarding Air Force One for Xi Jinping talks, signal high-stakes geopolitical influence.
Financial snapshot
Nvidia reported approximately $216 billion in fiscal 2026 revenue, up 65% from the prior year, with data center sales at $197 billion. Q4 revenue exceeded $68 billion, surging 73% year-over-year, driven by unrelenting AI demand.
Nvidia shares climbed about 2% in after-hours trading following news of Huang’s last-minute inclusion, per Yahoo Finance.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
