Trump Wants Tim Cook to Replace Jensen Huang at Nvidia

US President Donald Trump has proposed Tim Cook as the next chief executive of Nvidia. The suggestion came on Truth Social after Jensen Huang's abrupt resignation. Trump wrote that Huang had done a "fantastic job" and that only one man could fill his place. His verdict: "A Legend replaces a Legend." Neither Cook nor Apple has responded. Trump said nothing about the circumstances of Huang's departure.

Does the White House have any say here?

Formally, no. The president holds no vote on who runs the chip company. The decision rests with Nvidia's board. Such interference is not new, though. In August 2025 Trump demanded the immediate resignation of Intel's then-new chief, Lip-Bu Tan, accusing him of a "serious conflict of interest" over ties to Chinese firms. Tan stayed. After a White House meeting, Trump changed his view, and the state shortly afterward took a stake of nearly ten percent in Intel.

Who is running Nvidia now?

Finance chief Colette Kress leads the company on an interim basis. She keeps her role as CFO until a permanent successor is named. Harvey C. Jones, 73, is the new board chairman. He has sat on the board since 1993 and once led Synopsys. The search covers internal and external candidates, which suggests Kress is not the automatic long-term answer.

Still, she counts as one of two internal candidates for the permanent job. Many analysts and investors see chief engineer Ian Buck as the most likely pick. Buck runs the data center business. He also leads the betting on Polymarket, at 30 percent, followed by Kress at 20 percent. An internal solution is generally seen as preferable and more likely. Huang himself said in a Bloomberg interview in October that he hoped Nvidia's next chief already works at the company.

External names in circulation include:

• Arm chief Rene Haas, cited most often
• AMD chief Lisa Su, though luring her away looks difficult after her successful turnaround of AMD since 2014
• Apple chip chief Johny Srouji, named by Bloomberg
• Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian and Palo Alto Networks chief Nikesh Arora, floated by tech analyst Dan Ives alongside Tim Cook

Ives is so far the only prominent analyst who sees any merit in Trump's idea.

What does Cook bring to the table?

Cook ran Apple for 15 years, from 2011 until September this year, and now chairs Apple's board. Apple says he will keep handling contact with political decision-makers worldwide in that role. His experience dealing with Washington and China could matter for Nvidia. Few companies sit more squarely in the middle of the tech conflict between the two powers.

The counterargument is timing. Cook only just completed an orderly retreat from operational leadership. Many observers call Trump's proposal wishful thinking and expect it to go nowhere, because Cook enjoys his role as Apple chairman.

Why is the recommendation striking?

Trump publicly rebuked Cook several times in 2025. He criticized the relocation of iPhone production, including in May 2025 during an appearance in Qatar, where he objected to Apple expanding manufacturing in India rather than the United States. The relationship has since eased. Cook is among the tech leaders who have sought proximity to the White House since Trump's return. He accompanied Trump to China early in the year and attended the state dinner at the White House on September 24, together with Huang and Huang's wife, Lori.

The first test of the interim arrangement comes quickly. Nvidia reports third-quarter results on November 17, with Kress at the podium.

What happens next?

First, someone would have to call Cook, and he would have to want the job. Lawyers would then need to clarify whether a move is even legal. Non-compete clauses and conflicts of interest as Apple chairman could block it. Whether Cook is even a remote option to succeed Huang remains completely unclear. And in the end, the White House does not decide the succession. Nvidia's board does.