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Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says China, others can't have Nvidia's top AI chips

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Artificial IntelligenceTax & TariffsTrade Policy & Supply ChainGeopolitics & WarRegulation & LegislationSanctions & Export ControlsLegal & LitigationTechnology & Innovation

President Trump announced that advanced Nvidia Blackwell chips will be exclusively reserved for US companies, restricting their sale to China and other nations, a move with significant implications for global AI development and US-China tech competition. This declaration follows a newly established one-year trade truce with China, where Beijing agreed to suspend rare earth export controls, end chip company investigations, and increase US agricultural and energy purchases, while the US paused some tariffs and reduced others. Concurrently, Trump's broader tariff policies face increasing domestic opposition, with the Senate rebuking some measures and the Supreme Court preparing to hear challenges that could reshape his trade strategy.

Analysis

President Trump's directive reserving advanced Nvidia (NVDA) Blackwell chips exclusively for US companies, explicitly excluding China, marks a significant escalation in tech export controls. This decision directly impacts NVDA's potential revenue from a major market, reinforcing geopolitical fragmentation in the AI supply chain. The per-ticker sentiment for NVDA is notably negative (-0.5), reflecting this commercial constraint. A one-year US-China trade truce has been established, with China agreeing to suspend rare earth export controls, cease investigations into US chip firms, and increase purchases of US agricultural and energy products. In reciprocity, the US will pause specific tariffs and reduce others, lowering overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%. This agreement offers a temporary reprieve, aiming to stabilize supply chains. Concurrently, President Trump's broader tariff policies face increasing domestic and legal challenges. The Senate's bipartisan rebuke of certain tariffs and the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the legality of "reciprocal" duties introduce considerable uncertainty. A ruling against these tariffs could fundamentally alter the administration's trade strategy, while persistent disputes, such as with Canada, highlight ongoing trade tensions. The administration is also actively shaping the digital economy through trade deals, requiring partner countries to avoid digital services taxes and discrimination against US tech giants like Google (GOOG) and Amazon (AMZN). This proactive stance aims to protect US tech interests globally, reflected in the moderately positive sentiment for GOOG and AMZN (0.4 each).