At the All-In Summit in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026, President Donald Trump took an unusual step by calling Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during his on-stage appearance, joining the conversation on artificial intelligence and data center development. Huang answered the call and put Trump on speakerphone, allowing attendees to hear the president dismiss criticisms of AI infrastructure. Trump labeled opposition to data center construction as a “hoax” and emphasized the economic benefits these facilities bring, calling data centers the “oil of the next 20, 25 years.”

Trump’s intervention occurred amid rising tensions in Washington regarding the rapid advancement of AI technologies, led by companies like Anthropic and OpenAI. Over the weekend, Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei advocated for slowing AI development, a call that received backing from OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk of SpaceX. Trump criticized such efforts on his social media platform, Truth Social, describing AI regulatory concerns as a “scam” and accusing activists opposing data centers of working against American interests.

During the call, Trump praised Nvidia’s role in powering AI progress with its graphics processing units, underscoring his strong support for the industry despite growing calls for regulation. The president and Huang shared a mutual stance against forces trying to impede AI expansion, with Trump suggesting foreign adversaries like China might be behind some opposition. Their interaction further highlights the alliance between a leading tech CEO and the sitting president in framing AI as a critical element of U.S. economic strength.

The phone call drew significant attention from summit participants and observers, with co-host Chamath Palihapitiya calling the moment “surreal.” Nvidia has not issued an official comment on the event. This episode illustrates how AI continues to be a focal point in debates about technological advancement, economic policy, and national security, with influential figures on both sides voicing sharply contrasting views on development and regulation.