Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, has emerged as the most influential figure in the second Donald Trump administration.

On July 22 (local time), U.S. business media outlet CNBC reported, "Huang has established himself as the most important business leader in Trump’s second term."

During the first Trump administration, it was Apple CEO Tim Cook who played the role of 'business diplomat,' traveling between the White House and Beijing. Cook managed to secure partial exemptions from U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, laying the foundation for Apple’s continued growth in the Chinese market. CNBC at the time described Cook as "the quintessential CEO diplomat with sophisticated coordination skills." However, in Trump’s second administration, Cook has instead faced increased scrutiny.

Reuters Yonhap News

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In May, President Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Apple producing products in India, stating, "I have a bit of an issue with Tim Cook." This came shortly after Apple announced in February that it would invest $500 billion in the United States.

After the launch of Trump’s second term, there was widespread speculation that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, would become President Trump’s "top technology advisor." However, conflicts between the two sides erupted over the so-called "Trump tax cuts," weakening Musk’s position. That void was filled by Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang. Since Trump’s return to power, Nvidia has overtaken Apple to become the most valuable company by market capitalization in the United States.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives emphasized, "As a key player in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, Huang has become a new central figure on the global political stage," adding, "Nvidia’s chips are the only ones enabling the AI era, which has propelled Huang into a unique position."

Elon Musk is gesturing from the gallery on March 4, 2025, at the House Chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., while President Donald Trump is delivering a speech at the joint session of Congress. Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/Photo by Yonhap News

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In particular, the recent resumption of sales of the 'H20 AI chip,' which had been restricted by the U.S. government for export to China, stands as a prime example of Huang’s political influence. Initially, the U.S. Department of Commerce had banned the export of Nvidia’s H20 chips to China citing security concerns. However, Huang was able to overturn the export ban after directly meeting and persuading President Trump. At the time, Huang argued that such restrictions could actually accelerate growth within China and weaken U.S. technological leadership.

Apple CEO Tim Cook arriving at Sun Valley Resort to attend the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference held in Sun Valley, Idaho on July 8, 2025. AFP. Yonhap News

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Analyst Ives commented, "This is a historic victory for Nvidia and Jensen Huang, and it demonstrates his increasingly powerful political standing within the Trump administration."