- US President Trump suggested Tim Cook as Nvidia's new CEO after Jensen Huang resigned
- Nvidia's board is searching for a permanent CEO; CFO Colette Kress is interim CEO
- Cook led Apple for 15 years, boosting market value by $3.6 trillion before stepping down
US President Donald Trump has said former Apple Inc. chief executive Tim Cook should replace Jensen Huang as CEO of Nvidia Corp. Trump made the remark in a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, shortly after Huang resigned from the chipmaker he co-founded 33 years ago.
"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! (sic)," Trump said.
Nvidia's board said on Thursday that it was starting a search for a permanent CEO and would consider both internal and external candidates. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress is serving as interim CEO, and Harvey C. Jones has been named the board's first-ever chair. Nvidia has not responded publicly to Trump's suggestion.
Cook's Record
Cook ran Apple for 15 years after succeeding Steve Jobs in 2011. Apple announced on April 20 that he would step down as CEO. He handed over to hardware engineering chief John Ternus on Sept. 1, 2026 and became executive chairman of Apple's board, so he still holds a formal role at the iPhone maker.
During his tenure, Apple's market value rose by more than $3.6 trillion. Cook was known for operational discipline and for building one of the most efficient supply chains in the world. That background is very different from Huang's, who led as an engineer and product visionary.
ALSO READ: Nvidia Hit By Seven Downgrades In 24 Hours As Jensen Huang's Exit Rattles Wall Street
A Familiar Trump Favourite
Trump has a long and close relationship with Cook. When Apple announced Cook's departure in April, Trump called him “an incredible guy” in a lengthy Truth Social post. In the same post he recalled that Cook's early outreach to him, during his first term, marked the start of “a long and very nice relationship.”
Huang was also one of the tech executives closest to Trump. He travelled with the President on Air Force One to China in May, and Trump called him “the Great Jensen Huang” in a social media post at the time. As recently as Sunday, Trump told reporters Huang had “done an amazing job for our country,” and he called him “an honourable guy.”
ALSO READ: China Link Confirmed? Alice Huang's Firms Promised DeepSeek Nvidia Chips, Says Report
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