Trump Restricts Export of Nvidia’s Blackwell AI Chips to China

President TRUMP has declared that the most advanced version of Nvidia’s Blackwell AI chip will be reserved exclusively for U.S. use, signaling tighter controls on high-end AI technology. "The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States," Trump stated during a CBS 60 Minutes interview and later to reporters aboard Air Force One. This move could effectively lock China out of the highest-performing semiconductors, which are critical for training powerful AI systems and linked to national security concerns.

The decision follows the Trump administration’s July rollout of an AI blueprint aimed at maintaining U.S. leadership over China. While the plan included expanding AI exports to allies and loosening environmental regulations to accelerate production, Trump drew a hard line on China. He explicitly ruled out allowing Chinese companies access to the most advanced Blackwell chips but left open the possibility for a less capable version. "We will let them deal with Nvidia but not in terms of the most advanced," he said.