President Donald Trump is planning to further monetize his relationship with chipmaker Nvidia. The Trump administration was planning to charge a 15% commission on Nvidia’s AI chip sales to China, but the plan hasn’t progressed beyond the early stages and could pose legal risks, according to the company.
Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said in an interview that if the plan isn’t codified, Nvidia should be able to proceed with China sales without paying the commission. “We have been communicating,” she said. “If nothing shows up, I’ve got licenses. I don’t have to do this 15% until I see something that is a true regulatory document.”
Spokespeople for the White House and the Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export control programs, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
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“Any request for a percentage of the revenue by the USG may subject us to litigation, increase our costs, and harm our competitive position and benefit competitors that are not subject to such arrangements,” Nvidia said in a filing.
On Wednesday, Nvidia gave a forecast for the current quarter that wasn’t as bullish as some analysts had anticipated. The company said it excluded as much as $5 billion of possible China data center sales from its projection because it can’t be sure whether geopolitical tension will allow Nvidia to fill orders.
“The opportunity for us to bring Blackwell to the China market is a real possibility,” Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said during a conference call Wednesday. “We just have to keep advocating the sensibility of and the importance of American tech companies to be able to lead and win the AI race.”
By demanding a government cut from AI chip exports, Trump signals a new era of transactional geopolitics, where economic benefits for the U.S. are tied directly to strategic concessions.
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However, the move is controversial. Legal experts have raised constitutional concerns, warning that the deal may resemble an unauthorized export tax. Critics argue that such a policy could set a dangerous precedent, weakening U.S. companies’ competitiveness and inviting retaliation from international partners. While Trump presents the agreement as a win for American taxpayers, the long-term risks to trade relationships and corporate autonomy are considerable.
For Nvidia, the deal creates both opportunity and uncertainty. On one hand, it opens a path to resume chip sales in a massive market, China, at a time when U.S. export controls have severely limited access. On the other, it raises questions about regulatory compliance, government overreach, and strategic dependency. Nvidia must navigate this carefully to protect both its global market share and its reputation.