Trump Bars Nvidia Blackwell Chip Exports to China

President Donald Trump announced on November 2, 2025, that Nvidia's most advanced Blackwell AI chips will be reserved exclusively for United States customers and prohibited for sale to China and other foreign countries. Trump characterized the Blackwell chip as being 10 years ahead of any competitor and stated the restriction is necessary to ensure the U.S. maintains a lead in the AI race. This decision follows advice from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials who warned that exporting such technology could bolster China's military and surveillance capabilities.

The policy shift occurs despite lobbying from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who argued that U.S. participation in the Chinese market prevents Beijing from switching to domestic alternatives like Huawei. Trump previously met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, but later clarified that Blackwell chips were not discussed during the summit, though the two leaders did reach a one-year trade truce involving agriculture and rare earth exports.

While flagship Blackwell models are restricted, Trump indicated that less capable versions might still be sold abroad. However, reports suggest China is already rejecting scaled-down variants, such as the B30A, leading to a collapse in Nvidia's regional market share from 95% to 0%. In a separate move, the U.S. Department of Commerce approved licenses for Microsoft to ship over 60,000 advanced Nvidia chips, including GB300 Grace Blackwell units, to the United Arab Emirates as part of a larger technology investment deal. Following these developments, Jensen Huang warned that China is poised to win the AI race due to lower energy costs and a more permissive regulatory environment.