Trump Meets Nvidia CEO as Tech Giants Lobby Against Looming Semiconductor Tariffs

On August 6, President Donald Trump met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the White House, amid plans to impose new tariffs on semiconductor imports. This meeting was shortly before Apple's CEO Tim Cook was expected to announce a commitment to invest $100 billion in the U.S., with both tech giants lobbying Trump to exempt their products from the impending tariffs. Trump stated that he plans to unveil the measures by next week.

"We are going to make a statement on semiconductors and chips, this is a separate category because we want those products to be made here in the U.S.," Trump said during an interview with CNBC on August 5. These tariffs could significantly impact Nvidia, whose chips and hardware are primarily manufactured in Taiwan, and are crucial components for emerging AI technology.

A government official, who wished to remain anonymous, described the meeting between Trump and Huang, initially reported by CNBC. This comes as the two had previously met at the White House, where Huang also joined Trump and senior government officials at an AI summit last month.

Amidst the looming tariff impositions, tech giants are ramping up lobbying efforts for exemptions. Reports reveal that before the joint announcement with Cook regarding Apple's investment, Trump had also met with Huang in the White House. Both Huang and Cook are seeking leniency to shield their products from the import tax impact.

During the interview on CNBC, Trump mentioned plans to announce the semiconductor and chip measures, stressing the importance of domestic production. The announcement, expected in the coming week, has prompted companies to intensify lobbying to secure favorable conditions ahead of final policy implementation.