Trump Has A Pick To Replace Jensen Huang At Nvidia: Apple's Tim Cook

US President Donald Trump has suggested that Apple’s former CEO Tim Cook should replace Jensen Huang as the head of Nvidia, following Huang’s reported resignation.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Huang’s leadership and described Cook as the only person capable of succeeding him, calling both executives “legends”.

“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!” Trump wrote.

However, Nvidia has not announced Cook as a potential successor. The company has appointed its chief financial officer, Colette Kress, as interim CEO while its board begins the search for a permanent replacement.

Colette Kress appointed interim CEO

Nvidia confirmed that Kress will take charge as interim CEO while continuing as the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer. She will hold both positions until a permanent successor is appointed.

Kress joined Nvidia in September 2013 and has overseen its financial operations for more than a decade, including during the company's rapid expansion amid the artificial intelligence boom.

According to the company's announcement, the board will consider both internal and external candidates for the CEO position. Nvidia has not specified a timeline for the appointment.

The board has also appointed Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever chairman. Jones, who has served on Nvidia's board, will oversee the company as it navigates the leadership transition.

Musk Says Hiring Huang Would Be An Honour

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had also expressed interest in bringing Huang on board. Responding to a post on X by financial account ZeroHedge urging him to hire the Nvidia co-founder, Musk wrote, “That would be an honour.”

The exchange took place on Wednesday evening in the US. It came as reports emerged that Nvidia's board was considering Huang's position following allegations about his personal relationships.

Allegations And Intelligence Probe

One of the reported relationships involved Alice Huang, a businesswoman whom US intelligence agencies are reportedly investigating over suspected efforts to facilitate shipments of Nvidia chips to Chinese companies, according to Reuters.

Alice Huang is not related to Jensen Huang. The New York Times also reported that US intelligence agencies believed she was gathering information for Beijing. The reports have raised questions about whether Jensen Huang may have been unknowingly targeted in a foreign intelligence operation.

Separately, The New York Times reported, citing five people familiar with Nvidia, that Huang had an alleged relationship with Kimberly Powell, the company's vice-president of healthcare, who reported directly to him. Reuters said it could not independently verify the allegations.

In a message to employees, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and said he took “full responsibility”. He did not name the person involved or address the specific allegations concerning either woman in the message.