Faisal Islam: What Jensen Huang told me about China, national security and persuading Trump

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang told the BBC he had persuaded Donald Trump to support allowing exports of powerful AI chips to China, arguing that wider use of US technology could benefit America. His remarks matter because they challenge national security officials’ view that access to advanced chips could help China gain a strategic edge in AI.

Huang was discussing Nvidia’s H200 chips during Trump’s state visit to the UK in September 2025, after restrictions on a less powerful chip had been lifted. He argued that China’s military would use its own technology and said the global race was not necessarily zero-sum. The article says Nvidia is expected to make about $400bn in revenue this year, while its shares fell around 4% amid renewed risks linked to tech and geopolitics.