Following Jensen Huang’s departure from Nvidia amid a second misconduct allegation made yesterday, the company is set to search for a new permanent CEO, with interim CEO Colette Kress assuming the role for the time being. Numerous names are expected to surface over the coming weeks, and sitting US President Donald Trump has joined the chorus, insisting the AI company appoint former Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Writing on Truth Social, he stated, “NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who has done a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man to take his place – TIM COOK of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend!”
Tim Cook became Apple’s CEO on August 24, 2011, famously succeeding the company’s founder, Steve Jobs. Cook stepped down as CEO in August 2026 but has remained as Apple’s Executive Chairman.
Cook and Trump share a longstanding professional relationship, with the former Apple CEO reportedly donating $1 million to Trump’s inauguration. Trump brought both Jensen Huang and Tim Cook along on his trip to China earlier this year, where they held talks with the Chinese government regarding the opening of trade relations over AI hardware. It marked the first presidential visit to China since Trump’s initial trip in 2017.
Whether or not the 66-year-old former Apple CEO is the right person for the role, his ties to Trump are undeniable, and both appear determined to expand AI within America while supplying more (albeit a limited amount) of AI to China.
(Image credit: Truth Social, @realDonaldTrump)
Nvidia owes its sudden surge in net worth to the widespread adoption of AI. It grew from a company valued in the hundreds of billions in 2020 to one worth trillions by 2026. Although its stock dipped this morning, even at its lowest price in over a year the company’s market cap remains close to $4 trillion. Apple, too, has grown substantially and is now the most highly valued company in the world.
Tim Cook is just one of many names being floated as a future CEO successor, with some Nvidia staff members—including current CTO Michael Kagan—among those mentioned. As for external candidates, potential names could include Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Arm CEO Rene Haas, or even Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The field is wide open.
That is assuming any of them would actually want the role. Nvidia is a company facing political and economic scrutiny, and that is before even considering whether the AI bubble might burst. It seems whoever takes on the job will likely face many sleepless nights.
Best graphics card 2026
1. Best overall: AMD Radeon RX 9070
2. Best budget: Intel Arc B570
3. Best mid-range: Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB
4. Best high-end: AMD RX 9070 XT
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