트럼프 행정부가 엔비디아 관련 스캔들이 불거진 가운데 중국에 대한 반도체 규제를 강화했다고 조선일보가 보도했다.

Jensen Huang, NVIDIA's CEO, is in an extramarital affair scandal that appears to be overturning even U.S. President Donald Trump's semiconductor policy toward China. According to U.S. media, on the 9th (local time) the White House asked Congress to include provisions restricting Chinese companies' use of overseas data centers in the "AI Overwatch Act," a bill promoted by lawmakers to control exports of advanced AI semiconductors. The aim is to close a "detour" in which Chinese companies rent chips installed abroad and run remote computations, rather than importing U.S.-made AI chips directly.

This runs counter to the Trump administration's existing policy. Trump had maintained a close relationship with Huang and taken a conciliatory approach, including easing export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China. However, as it became known that Huang had been in a secret relationship with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy, pressure on that policy has rapidly grown. Amid a political crisis following defeats in the midterm elections, there is also discussion of reversing course by emphasizing technological competition with China.

**Trump's Potential Shift to a Hard Line Against China**

Trump has largely accepted NVIDIA's demands to ease export restrictions on China. Huang personally persuaded Trump, arguing, "If the U.S. does not sell AI chips, it will only accelerate China's development of its own semiconductors." As a result, sales of NVIDIA's AI chip H20 for the Chinese market resumed last year, and in December of that year, a policy was announced conditionally allowing exports of the higher-performance H200 to China.

The situation has now shifted. If the White House maintains its easing stance, it could face criticism for neglecting security. On the 9th, Trump told a White House briefing, "I believe Jensen Huang's explanation that he was unaware of the (spy) activities of the woman involved," adding that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reviewing the matter. Although the remark defended Huang, the prevailing view is that it does not mean the administration will keep its policy of allowing exports to China.

Moves to tighten regulations are already underway in Congress. Alongside the AI Overwatch Act, lawmakers are advancing the Chip Security Act, which would require tracking of chip locations to prevent semiconductor smuggling, and the MATCH Act, which would strengthen export controls on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. Even if Trump does not withdraw existing policies, a tougher review of export permits by the U.S. Department of Commerce or the passage of related laws could restrict semiconductor supplies to China.

Trump has also signaled a possible policy shift by promoting domestic data center construction. On the 8th, he urged passage of a bill to speed up permits for power plants and power grids, posting on social media, "China is taking data centers that the U.S. does not want." Democratic candidates who pledged to restrict data center construction won midterm races, increasing regulatory pressure, and Trump has framed the issue as one of "benefiting China" to seize the narrative.

**Control Over AI Chip Usage and Global Supply Chain Impact**

If Trump's policy changes materialize, the effects could ripple across the global AI industry, reaching not only NVIDIA but also supply chains involving Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix. The regulations would cover not only exports of U.S. AI chips but also their use overseas.

If the remote-use restrictions the White House has requested are enacted, third-country data centers that have earned revenue by leasing computing resources to Chinese companies would be immediately affected. Operators would need to verify customers' identities and intended uses, and there are concerns that profits could fall if Chinese companies or China-linked customers withdraw en masse.

This could reduce investment in AI data centers in Asian hubs such as Singapore and Malaysia. Beyond NVIDIA, which designs AI chips such as graphics processing units (GPUs), Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which supply high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to NVIDIA, would also be affected.

The controversy has also escalated into a shareholder lawsuit. On the 9th, NVIDIA shareholders filed a class-action suit against Huang and the company in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose. The plaintiffs allege that Huang failed to properly inform investors of national security risks and business uncertainties by concealing his relationship with a woman suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence agencies.