Nvidia is beefing up its Washington game. The chip giant has hired Bruce Andrews, a veteran lobbyist who used to run government affairs at Intel and served in the Obama Commerce Department, to be its new Chief External Affairs Officer. His job? Help Nvidia navigate the increasingly tangled web of U.S.-China tensions over AI chips.
Andrews will report to General Counsel Tim Teter and focus on managing relationships with policymakers as AI and semiconductor regulation become central to national security debates. In a LinkedIn post announcing the move, Andrews said, "I'm looking forward to helping NVIDIA lead the AI revolution and reach new breakthroughs for America and the world."
The hiring is no coincidence. Washington has been tightening export controls on advanced AI chips bound for China, citing security concerns. While Nvidia has received licenses to export its less powerful H200 chips to certain Chinese buyers, reports indicate those shipments haven't actually materialized yet. So Andrews has his work cut out for him.
CEO Jensen Huang has been vocal about the risks of cutting off China. He argues that limiting access could weaken U.S. competitiveness in AI and that Nvidia needs to keep engaging the Chinese market—or risk letting rivals fill the gap. Huang also sees long-term opportunities in AI infrastructure globally, with China remaining a key growth driver.
On the stock front, Nvidia closed at $204.87 on Thursday, up 2.22%, and was trading at $205.86 in Friday's pre-market, up 0.48%. According to market data, NVDA ranks in the 98th percentile for growth, indicating strong medium- and long-term performance, though its short-term trend is weaker.
So Nvidia is doubling down on D.C. firepower as it tries to balance business interests with national security—a tightrope walk that just got a seasoned lobbyist to help steady the line.
