President Donald Trump on Thursday proposed that Tim Cook, Apple's former chief executive and current chairman of the company's board, replace Jensen Huang at the helm of Nvidia, hours after the co-founder and CEO of the artificial intelligence chip company resigned following reports of extramarital affairs with two women. Trump suggested Cook as his successor on his Truth Social network, calling Huang a "fantastic job" and declaring, "There's only one man to take his place: Apple's TIM COOK. A legend replaces a legend!"

Huang's departure shakes up one of the world's most valuable companies and one of Trump's closest allies in Silicon Valley. Nvidia's board announced that Colette Kress, chief financial officer, will take over as interim CEO while a permanent replacement is sought. The resignation comes amid a board investigation into Huang's alleged affair with an employee of Megaspeed International, a Singaporean data center company suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence, which has raised concerns among lawmakers about the security of AI chips.

Tim Cook, who announced his retirement from Apple on Sept. 1 after 15 years at the helm of the company, will maintain a close relationship with Trump. The president affectionately nicknames him "Tim Apple," and Cook has been a frequent interlocutor on trade and tariff issues. Apple recently committed to a $600 billion investment in the United States, a move that secured key tariff exemptions for its flagship products, including the iPhone.

The context of this proposal includes Trump's announcement of a 100% tariff on computer chips unless companies manufacture on U.S. soil, a move aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor production. Cook met with Trump in the Oval Office to discuss the issue, and Apple's stock rose after the announcement. Nvidia, meanwhile, has added more than $1 trillion in market value since the start of Trump's second administration.

For Mexico and Latin America, Cook's possible arrival at Nvidia would have direct implications on the device supply chain and on the availability of AI chips for companies in the region. Mexico, as a key electronics assembler and with a growing technology industry, could be affected by both tariff policies and any restructuring in the leadership of the world's two main AI hardware players.

The question now is whether Cook, who is preparing to hand over the helm of Apple to John Ternus, would accept a role at the helm of Nvidia amid turbulence and regulatory scrutiny. The answer will define the next chapter in one of the most important stories in the global tech industry. Sources:

• POLITICO — 'A Legend replaces a Legend': Trump floats Apple's Cook to head up Nvidia

• POLITICO — Jensen Huang resigns from Nvidia following affair reports

• Truth Social — Donald Trump on Tim Cook and Nvidia

• Euronews — Trump's China visit: US CEOs Musk, Cook and Nvidia's Huang join trade talks

• AP News — Trump plans 100% tariff on computer chips

Cover credit: Tim Cook, photograph by Austin Community College via Wikimedia Commons.

Originally published in Digitalia.