Financial disclosures reviewed by anti-corruption group DeKleptocracy reveal that President Donald Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of Nvidia shares in May 2025. Shortly afterward, his administration reversed a Biden-era rule that had blocked exports of advanced American AI chips to China.
The policy change opened the door for Nvidia, the world’s leading AI chipmaker, to sell its most sophisticated processors to Chinese buyers. According to the report, Trump made at least three separate purchases of Nvidia stock, each valued between $250,001 and $500,000, just days after the administration announced decisions related to the H200 chip. He has executed dozens of transactions in the company’s shares since taking office.
The timing raises serious conflict-of-interest questions.
DeKleptocracy argues that the president’s personal financial stake in Nvidia creates an appearance that private gain may have influenced public policy. The original export restrictions were designed to prevent China from acquiring cutting-edge U.S. technology that could accelerate its own artificial intelligence capabilities and potentially surpass American leadership in the field.
Critics note that the policy reversal directly benefits a company in which the president holds a significant financial position. For what it’s worth, the White House has not publicly addressed the specific allegations raised in the report.
