Donald Trump bought Nvidia shares worth up to $5 million shortly before reversing Biden-era restrictions on AI chip exports to China, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest
.By PC Bureau
November 14– US President Donald Trump bought millions of dollars’ worth of Nvidia shares shortly before his administration scrapped restrictions on the export of advanced American AI chips to China, potentially allowing the company to benefit from a major policy reversal.
He subsequently made further purchases after clearing the way for Nvidia to sell its powerful H200 chips to China, raising fresh questions about conflicts of interest and the use of presidential power for personal financial gain.
An analysis by anti-corruption group DeKleptocracy, based on Trump’s financial disclosures, found that he purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of Nvidia shares in the days before the administration withdrew a Biden-era export restriction in May 2025.
The transactions have drawn scrutiny because the policy reversal potentially benefited Nvidia, one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers and a major supplier of advanced AI chips.
The disclosures also show that Trump bought shares in other major technology companies, including Apple, Meta and Microsoft.
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TRUMP BOUGHT UP TO $5 MILLION IN NVIDIA STOCK BEFORE EASING AI CHIP EXPORT RULES
The Guardian reports that President Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million in Nvidia shares just days before scrapping Biden-era AI chip export rules in May 2025.
The newspaper also found additional Nvidia stock purchases shortly after Trump announced plans to allow H200 chip sales to China in December.
The White House maintains that independent managers handle Trump’s investments.
Did Trump’s financial interests create a conflict with U.S. semiconductor policy?
And could these revelations deepen Washington’s Nvidia investigation?
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Trump Scrapped China Chip Restrictions After Buying Nvidia Stock
The rule introduced under former President Joe Biden was intended to restrict China’s access to America’s most advanced artificial intelligence technology.
Known as the AI Diffusion Framework, it was designed to protect US national security and preserve Washington’s technological advantage. A key concern was that access to advanced American chips could help China develop more powerful AI systems and narrow the gap with the United States.
The Trump administration scrapped the framework in May 2025, removing restrictions that could have constrained Nvidia’s ability to sell advanced chips to China.
China has historically been a major market for Nvidia, accounting for roughly a quarter of its sales between 2010 and 2022.
Nvidia shares gained value following Trump’s announcement of the policy reversal, potentially increasing the value of the stock he had purchased shortly beforehand.
Trump Later Cleared Nvidia’s Powerful H200 Chips For China
In December 2025, Trump announced that Nvidia would be permitted to sell its H200 chips to China. The US Department of Commerce approved the move in January 2026.
The decision attracted criticism because the H200 is among Nvidia’s most powerful AI processors and was around six times more powerful than the chips available in China at the time.
The Council on Foreign Relations warned that allowing the sales could “supercharge” China’s future AI factories, strengthening a major strategic competitor of the United States.
Trump’s financial disclosures also reveal at least three Nvidia stock purchases in the days following his announcement on H200 sales to China. Each transaction was valued between $250,001 and $500,000.
These were among his larger Nvidia investments. The disclosures indicate that Trump has undertaken dozens of transactions involving the company’s shares since taking office.
Anti-Corruption Group Questions Trump’s Financial Interests
DeKleptocracy has questioned whether Trump’s personal investments may have influenced policy decisions with potentially significant consequences for Nvidia and the wider artificial intelligence industry.
The group drew a comparison with allegations that a Chinese spy had influenced White House policy in favour of an AI company, arguing that the President’s own financial interests deserved comparable scrutiny.
In its analysis, DeKleptocracy wrote: “While the country debates how a possible Chinese spy may have manipulated White House policy for one AI company, it must grapple with how Trump’s corruption may have motivated him to deliver the entire AI industry’s technology to China.”
