Donald Trump Proposes Former Apple Chief Tim Cook to Lead Nvidia
Following Jensen Huang's resignation, U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that former Apple CEO Tim Cook take over leadership of Nvidia.
🌐Work & SocietyPhoto: TechCrunch AI
Key points
- Donald Trump suggests Tim Cook should succeed Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO.
- Tim Cook transitioned from Apple CEO to Executive Chairman in September 2026.
- Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld previously suggested Cook for the role due to his experience succeeding Steve Jobs.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly suggested that former Apple chief executive Tim Cook should step into the role of Nvidia CEO following the unexpected resignation of Jensen Huang. Trump shared on social media that he believes Cook is the singular individual suited to succeed Huang at the semiconductor giant.
Cook concluded a 15-year tenure as Apple's CEO on September 1, 2026, handing over daily operations to John Ternus while transitioning to Executive Chairman of the board. In his current capacity, Cook manages international affairs and global policy engagement, notably overseeing Apple's strategic relationships in China.
Trump's suggestion follows a similar proposal put forward by Yale School of Management Senior Associate Dean Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. In a recent opinion piece, Sonnenfeld argued that Cook possesses a distinct advantage due to his history of successfully following an iconic founder, having previously taken over Apple leadership from Steve Jobs.
What to watch next: Whether Nvidia's board or Cook himself will give any serious consideration to the proposal, and how the semiconductor titan plans to officially address the leadership vacuum left by Huang.
Source TechCrunch AI — techcrunch.com/2026/11/12/trump-floats-apple-chairman-tim-cook-as-jense… ↗
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