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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks chip restrictions with Trump, blasts state-by-state AI regulations

CNBC•December 04, 2025 at 12:05 AM•Full Content

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Gist

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang advocates for federal AI regulation and opposes state-by-state laws, while pushing back on proposed chip export controls, citing national security and innovation concerns.

LLM Summary

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met with former President Donald Trump to discuss chip export controls, criticizing proposed state-level AI regulations as harmful to innovation and national security. He argued against the GAIN AI Act, which would prioritize U.S. companies in AI chip access, calling it detrimental to U.S. competitiveness. Huang supports a unified federal AI regulatory framework, a stance echoed by Trump, though the proposed preemption provision was dropped from the National Defense Authorization Act.

Full Article Content

Key Points

* Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday and that they "talked in general about export controls."

* The comments come as lawmakers weigh including an artificial intelligence chip sales measure in a sweeping defense policy bill.

* Huang also criticized state-by-state AI regulation, saying it would "drag this industry into a halt."

* NVDA

!Jensen Huang: State-by-state AI regulation would drag industry to a halt

VIDEO5:2505:25

Jensen Huang: State-by-state AI regulation would drag industry to a halt

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday and that the two men discussed chip export restrictions, as lawmakers consider a proposal to limit exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips to nations like China.

"I've said it repeatedly that we support export controls, and that we should ensure that American companies have the best and the most and first," Huang told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers were considering including the Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence Act in a major defense package, known as the National Defense Authorization Act. The GAIN AI Act would require chipmakers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices to give U.S. companies first pick on their AI chips before selling them in countries like China.

The proposal isn't expected to be part of the NDAA, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Huang said it was "wise" that the proposal is being left out of the annual defense policy bill.

"The GAIN AI Act is even more detrimental to the United States than the AI Diffusion Act," Huang said.

Nvidia's CEO also criticized the idea of establishing a patchwork of state laws regulating AI. The notion of state-by-state regulation has generated pushback from tech companies and spurred the creation of a super PAC called "Leading the Future," which is backed by the AI industry.

"State-by-state AI regulation would drag this industry into a halt and it would create a national security concern, as we need to make sure that the United States advances AI technology as quickly as possible," Huang said. "A federal AI regulation is the wisest."

Trump last month urged legislators to include a provision in the NDAA that would preempt state AI laws in favor of "one federal standard."

But House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told CNBC's Emily Wilkins on Tuesday the provision won't make it into the bill, citing a lack of sufficient support. He and other lawmakers will continue to look for ways to establish a national standard on AI, Scalise added.

!Nvidia obviously currying favor to be able to sell chips in China, says Niles Investment's Dan Niles

VIDEO4:3304:33

Nvidia obviously currying favor to be able to sell chips in China, says Niles Investment's Dan Niles

Key Points

* Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday and that they "talked in general about export controls."
* The comments come as lawmakers weigh including an artificial intelligence chip sales measure in a sweeping defense policy bill.
* Huang also criticized state-by-state AI regulation, saying it would "drag this industry into a halt."

* [NVDA](/quotes/NVDA)

![Jensen Huang: State-by-state AI regulation would drag industry to a halt](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/108236139-17647886121764788609-42806827921-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1764788612&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)

VIDEO5:2505:25

Jensen Huang: State-by-state AI regulation would drag industry to a halt

[Nvidia](/quotes/NVDA/) CEO Jensen Huang said he met with [President Donald Trump](https://www.cnbc.com/donald-trump/) on Wednesday and that the two men discussed chip export restrictions, as lawmakers consider a proposal to limit exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips to nations like China.

"I've said it repeatedly that we support export controls, and that we should ensure that American companies have the best and the most and first," Huang told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers were considering including the Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence Act in a major defense package, known as the National Defense Authorization Act. The GAIN AI Act would require chipmakers like Nvidia and [Advanced Micro Devices](/quotes/AMD/) to give U.S. companies first pick on their AI chips before selling them in countries like China.

The proposal isn't expected to be part of the NDAA, [Bloomberg reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-03/nvidia-scores-lobbying-win-as-congress-rejects-chip-export-bill), citing a person familiar with the matter.

Huang said it was "wise" that the proposal is being left out of the annual defense policy bill.

"The GAIN AI Act is even more detrimental to the United States than the AI Diffusion Act," Huang said.

Nvidia's CEO also criticized the idea of establishing a patchwork of state laws regulating AI. The notion of state-by-state regulation has [generated pushback](https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/tech-titans-amass-multimillion-dollar-war-chests-to-fight-ai-regulation-88c600e1?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqep9y9OG9WcK70yfKBavSVsdfubYrZbrAAlkrNKSye3DaIJ401t6TCRGOpnqh4%3D&gaa_ts=6930a7d4&gaa_sig=9UUpR4FGq2JutO20GGbyTBTkzS_NjSjltYxrUOSl0J6CT0YtaCprbPh-HoZzVxt3noyVxt8ZZQiSypWKHR9vSw%3D%3D) from tech companies and spurred the creation of a [super PAC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/24/ai-pac-trump-congress-midterms.html) called "Leading the Future," which is backed by the AI industry.

"State-by-state AI regulation would drag this industry into a halt and it would create a national security concern, as we need to make sure that the United States advances AI technology as quickly as possible," Huang said. "A federal AI regulation is the wisest."

Trump [last month urged](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115573090200730933) legislators to include a provision in the NDAA that would preempt state AI laws in favor of "one federal standard."

But House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) [told CNBC's Emily Wilkins](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/12/02/house-majority-leader-scalise-says-ai-preemption-is-out-of.html) on Tuesday the provision won't make it into the bill, citing a lack of sufficient support. He and other lawmakers will continue to look for ways to establish a national standard on AI, Scalise added.

![Nvidia obviously currying favor to be able to sell chips in China, says Niles Investment's Dan Niles](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/108236166-17647899231764789920-42807117348-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1764789922&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)

VIDEO4:3304:33

Nvidia obviously currying favor to be able to sell chips in China, says Niles Investment's Dan Niles