Trump approves Nvidia chip exports to China with 25 percent US levy

These H200 units serve as a performance bridge between the restricted H20 chips currently available in China and Nvidia’s cutting-edge Blackwell series. Trump emphasized that the arrangement excludes the most advanced Blackwell and Rubin architecture, keeping the highest-tier technology exclusive to US markets. The administration claims the policy will bolster domestic manufacturing and support American jobs, despite ongoing pressure from senators to maintain strict hardware bans against Beijing.

While the White House lifted the broader AI chip export freeze in May, the practical impact of this decision remains uncertain. Chinese companies have increasingly pivoted toward domestic silicon alternatives, often under government mandates to decouple from American supply chains. Jensen Huang’s efforts to secure these export permissions face a cooling market, as Chinese firms may be hesitant to invest in foreign hardware subject to such steep revenue-sharing conditions and potential future trade volatility.