Trump awards top US science medals to Musk, Huang, Su, Brin and Nadella
In short
US President Donald Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su and Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, on 8 October local time. Hours earlier, Vice President JD Vance announced at the White House a measure on H-1B workers' green-card applications at Microsoft and eight other technology companies, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported.
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US President Donald Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su and Google co-founder Sergey Brin on 8 October local time, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at the White House, Kyunghyang Shinmun and AI Times reported. Before the event, Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo, citing Fox News, reported that the medals would be handed out at a White House event titled "Science: A New Golden Age Summit", that Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell would also receive the technology medal, and that it was the first time Trump had personally presented the awards. The reports on the ceremony do not mention Dell. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Trump called the recipients "national treasures" and said they would be recorded in history as great figures, and praised Nadella for providing businesses, students and consumers with the greatest software in history. AI Times reported that Trump called Musk "a modern-day Thomas Edison". White House deputy press secretary Liz Huston said the administration was grateful for the contributions of outstanding leaders in science and technology. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Hours before the ceremony, Vice President JD Vance announced at the White House that the administration would not accept PERM applications, the labour certification used for H-1B workers' green cards, from nine technology companies including Microsoft, Infosys and HCL Technologies, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers last year while obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards, and that no company in the US had abused the system as much as Microsoft. AI Times described the step as excluding Microsoft and other IT firms from the H-1B programme. Kyunghyang Shinmun noted that all five recipients are immigrants and that Nadella and Musk settled in the US on H-1B visas. [ 4 , 5 ]
Chosun Ilbo cited CNBC as reporting that all recipients had contributed financially in some form to Trump or Republican campaigns, and Forbes as saying the medals were seen as a reward for Musk and Huang supporting Trump's largely laissez-faire AI policy. AI Times reported that the White House said it had secured $2.4 billion in AI infrastructure donations from big tech, including $1 billion from Nvidia, and that Trump's August financial disclosure, released on the day of the ceremony, showed his account bought up to $5 million in SpaceX bonds on 18 August, two days before he signed a proclamation expanding commercial space transport. The White House said all decisions were made by independent managers and there was no conflict of interest. [ 2 , 5 ]
Yonhap reported that Musk, who once led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), clashed with Trump in June last year over a tax-cut bill. Their reconciliation was seen in his attendance at a dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last November, his trip with Trump to China in May and his attendance at a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
Korean outlets presented the awards as politically charged: Chosun Ilbo cited CNBC as saying all recipients had contributed financially to Trump or Republican campaigns, and Forbes as saying the medals were seen as a reward for backing Trump's AI policy. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the same-day action against Microsoft exposed the administration's dilemma between AI companies and the anti-immigration MAGA camp.
Key facts
- Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su and Sergey Brin on 8 October local time. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Satya Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from Trump at the White House. [ 4 ]
- Michael Dell of Dell Technologies was also named, ahead of the event, to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. [ 1 , 2 ]
- It was the first time Trump personally presented these medals, according to Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The National Medal of Science was created in 1959 and has 529 recipients; the National Medal of Technology and Innovation has been awarded since 1985 to more than 240 organisations and individuals. [ 2 ]
- Hours before the ceremony, JD Vance announced that the administration would not accept PERM applications, used for H-1B workers' green cards, from nine tech companies including Microsoft, Infosys and HCL Technologies. [ 4 ]
- Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers last year while obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su and Sergey Brin on 8 October local time. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Satya Nadella was named to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The event was titled "Science: A New Golden Age Summit" and held at the White House. [ 1 , 2 ]
- It was the first time Trump personally presented the medals. [ 1 , 2 ]
- White House deputy press secretary Liz Huston said the administration was grateful for the contributions of outstanding leaders in science and technology. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Hours before the ceremony, the administration announced a visa-related measure against Microsoft and other technology companies. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Musk's inclusion among the recipients was described as a sign that his relationship with Trump had been restored. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Michael Dell received the medal at the ceremony. Pre-event reports named him, but the reports on the ceremony do not mention him.
- What exactly the measure against Microsoft and other firms does. Kyunghyang Shinmun said PERM green-card applications from nine firms would not be accepted; AI Times said the firms were excluded from the H-1B programme.
- Whether Trump called Musk alone or all recipients "national treasures". A Yonhap headline attributes the phrase to Musk; Kyunghyang Shinmun says Trump used it for the recipients.
- The White House said it secured $2.4 billion in AI infrastructure donations from big tech, including $1 billion from Nvidia. Reported only by AI Times.
- Trump's August financial disclosure showed purchases of up to $5 million in SpaceX bonds and up to $25 million in Meta shares. Reported only by AI Times; the White House said independent managers make all decisions and there is no conflict of interest.
- A 'superintelligence task force' led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton has begun AI safety checks on Silicon Valley CEOs. Reported only by AI Times.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 8 October: Yonhap reports, citing Fox News, that Trump will present the medals at the White House. [ 1 ]
- 8 October: Chosun Ilbo reports the planned awards and the political readings of them. [ 2 ]
- 9 October: Yonhap reports Trump presented the medals and praised Musk. [ 3 ]
- 9 October: Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the ceremony and Vance's action against Microsoft hours earlier. [ 4 ]
- 9 October: AI Times reports on the AI donations, Trump's financial disclosure and the visa action. [ 5 ]