“A Legend Replaces A Legend!” Trump Says “There Is Only One Man” To Replace Jensen Huang At Nvidia
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President Trump used Truth Social on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, at 10:29 a.m. EST to comment on a hiring decision that belongs to someone else: “NOW THAT Nvidia CEO JENSEN HUANG, who has done a fantastic job, has resigned, there is only one man to take his place: TIM COOK of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend!”
He picked Tim Cook, the former chief executive of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction). According to Reuters, Apple and Cook did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The post reflects the president’s personal opinion, separate from any nomination, offer or action by the board of NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA).
Why NVIDIA Suddenly Needs a New CEO
NVIDIA disclosed the change in a Form 8-K filed Nov. 12. On Nov. 11, the board accepted Jensen Huang’s resignation as president, CEO and director, effective immediately. CFO Colette Kress, 59 according to the filing, is now interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent one, and she remains CFO. Harvey C. Jones, 73 according to the filing and a director since 1993, is now chair. TechCrunch reported that Huang resigned days after admitting to a romantic affair with an alleged Chinese spy.
He left while the business was growing fast. In fiscal Q2 2027, NVIDIA reported revenue of $96.221 billion, up 105.85% year over year[1], including $89.023 billion from Data Center. It guided Q3 revenue to $108.0 billion, plus or minus 2%[1]. On that call, Huang said “everybody is really running flat out”[2] across the supply chain. Hedgeye’s Felix Wang told Bloomberg: “Without Jensen guiding the suppliers… you’re probably going to see more delays.”
Where Tim Cook Stands Today
MacRumors and TechCrunch reported that Cook stepped down as Apple’s CEO on Sept. 1, 2026. TechCrunch put his time running the company at 15 years. He now serves as Apple’s executive chairman. MacRumors wrote: “There is no indication that Cook actually wants to be Nvidia’s CEO.” Others have suggested him too. According to TechCrunch, Yale’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld proposed Cook in a Time op-ed, pointing to “an unparalleled track record of succeeding a bigger-than-life founder.”
Apple’s own CEO transition gives investors a point of comparison. John Ternus held his first earnings call as CEO on November 2, 2026[3]. He reported record September-quarter revenue of $114.477 billion[3] and fiscal 2026 revenue of $478.834 billion. Apple shares are up 32.16% year to date. MacRumors, citing Semafor, reported that Apple hardware chief Johny Srouji is reportedly among the people NVIDIA is considering.
A Leadership Gap Measured in Hundreds of Billions
NVIDIA closed at $166.19 on Nov. 12, down 4.34% according to Motley Fool. As of 1:03 p.m. ET Friday, the stock was trading at $160.70 intraday, down 3.3% on the day. TechCrunch reported that at Thursday’s lowest point, NVIDIA had lost more than $855 billion in market value since the prior Friday.
Its market value had peaked at $5.88 trillion in early October, according to TechCrunch. CBS News separately reported that the stock was on track to lose more than $700 billion since the prior week’s close. Yahoo Finance counted nine downgrades over two days.
CBS reported that Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives values NVIDIA at $225 a share without Huang and $300 with him. Ives said, “we cannot see Jensen running Nvidia as CEO at this point.” Swissquote’s Ipek Ozkardeskaya took the other side: “There is no credible way to put a precise revenue loss on his departure.”
NVIDIA’s Board Will Pick the Next CEO
The president can post about the job, but only NVIDIA’s board can fill it. The Financial Times reported that the board has approached Rene Haas, CEO of Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM). Haas spent about seven years at NVIDIA, and the FT described him as one of several candidates. Shortly after Trump’s post, one estimate shared on social media put the chance of Cook getting the job at 5%.
The next test comes on Nov. 17, 2026, when NVIDIA reports earnings, according to Motley Fool. Kress is scheduled to hold a company-wide meeting on November 18. Investors should look at whether results come in line with the $108.0 billion[1] revenue guidance and whether gross margin holds near the approximately 74.0% target. Any word from the board on the timeline for a permanent CEO will also matter.
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AJ spent 10 years writing about financial markets at The Motley Fool. His coverage centers on technology stocks and the broader macroeconomic trends, from interest rates to geopolitics, that shape where markets are headed next. AJ is drawn to the stories where big-picture economics and individual companies collide.
