‘China doesn’t want these built’: Trump claims Beijing is behind AI data centre protests

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused China of orchestrating a nationwide backlash against artificial intelligence data centers, alleging that Beijing is actively promoting resistance.

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Whoever wins the AI race is going to win AI. It’s bigger than the internet. It’s bigger than maybe anything that has happened for literally hundreds of years.

Trump stated that China's efforts are driven by the United States' advancement in the global artificial intelligence race. "Whoever wins the AI race is going to win AI. It’s bigger than the internet. It’s bigger than maybe anything that has happened for literally hundreds of years," he told Fox News during a visit to California.

He claimed that China is investing heavily to encourage opposition to new AI infrastructure in the U.S. "The communities that are giving us a hard time, a lot of people think that’s China-oriented. You know that China doesn’t want these… They’re spending a lot of money on promoting ‘don’t… you know, build’ because we’re beating China in AI," Trump said.

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The communities that are giving us a hard time, a lot of people think that’s China-oriented. You know that China doesn’t want these… They’re spending a lot of money on promoting ‘don’t … you know, build’ because we’re beating China in AI.

Describing AI data centers as a "tremendous thing," Trump argued that these facilities offer substantial economic advantages. He highlighted that many new plants generate their own electricity and can supply excess power to the grid at low costs, which helps reduce taxes and boost nearby property values. He warned that communities rejecting such projects are "making a big mistake."

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We’re really doing a great job. I approved … It was my idea, actually.