Politics & Governance
AI data centers: Trump says opponents risk poverty
US President Donald Trump said communities opposing artificial intelligence data centers risk becoming “backwards and poor,” as the facilities become a growing issue before November's US midterm elections.
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday that communities should support data centers if they want jobs, lower taxes and growth. He also said China “could not be happier” with the US backlash against the facilities.
Data centers have drawn complaints over electricity bills, noise and pressure on power and water supplies. A July Fox News survey found that 70 percent of respondents opposed the building of an AI data center in their area, including 60 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats.
US candidates in at least 21 races across 18 states have aired television advertisements mentioning data centers this cycle, according to marketing data cited by US media.
Vice President JD Vance took a more cautious tone while heading to a campaign visit in Michigan. He told reporters that most backlash came in areas where data centers mean higher utility and electricity costs. He said a data center should put power back into the grid rather than take it out.
The White House said OpenAI, Oracle and Related Digital were investing more than $7 billion in a hyperscale data center campus in Michigan.
Trump's administration has backed the industry as important to US competition with China on AI. Earlier this year, it signed top technology firms to a voluntary “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” meant to protect consumers from higher power prices.
US media reports have suggested China may be trying to encourage opposition to data centers, and a congressional committee has demanded an investigation. Trump did not repeat that allegation, but said Beijing would benefit from the movement.
China is on course to nearly double its data center capacity within the next five years as the AI race with the United States intensifies. Trump is due to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House in September.
Update
Vice President JD Vance said most backlash to data centers comes where they raise utility and electricity costs, and said data centers should put power back into the grid rather than take it out.
The White House said OpenAI, Oracle and Related Digital were investing more than $7 billion in a hyperscale data center campus in Michigan.
A July Fox News survey found 70 percent of respondents opposed an AI data center in their area, including 60 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 August 2026 at 18:02:59 UTC.
Update
Trump said China “could not be happier” about US opposition to data centers.
Trump criticised communities opposing data centers and urged them to “Let Data Reign.”
US candidates in at least 21 races across 18 states have aired television advertisements mentioning data centers this cycle, according to marketing data cited by US media.
US media reports have suggested China may be trying to stoke opposition to data centers, and a congressional committee has demanded an investigation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 August 2026 at 16:16:03 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Claims that China may be trying to encourage US opposition to data centers are reported allegations and have not been established in the supplied material.
The supplied material does not establish whether the voluntary industry pledge will prevent higher power prices for consumers.
Source
AFP news report published on .