‘Let Data Reign’: Trump attacks opposition to US data centres

Donald Trump has framed opposition to data centres as a choice between prosperity and decline. “The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” he wrote in a social media post. “If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.”

His message came despite resistance from both Republican and Democratic voters. Data centres are expanding partly to support the growing use of artificial intelligence, but communities have questioned the demands they place on local resources.

The facilities consume large amounts of electricity, prompting concerns about pressure on the power grid, possible outages and higher utility bills. They also require substantial quantities of water to cool servers, a particular concern for environmental activists in parts of the country facing drought. Residents living nearby have complained about the constant hum from the centres.

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The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.

The Trump administration has supported a voluntary pledge from technology companies to cover the full cost of their energy use. Consumer protection advocates, however, have called for strict federal rules. Their demands include protections against higher utility bills, investment in the power grid and safeguards for water resources.

The issue has begun to create tensions within the Republican Party. In Michigan, Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers backed a one-year pause on data centres. His Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, has criticized that proposal and called for an indefinite pause until federal regulations require union jobs, protect consumers from higher electricity costs, invest in the grid and safeguard water.

A Gallup poll conducted in March found that 71 percent of Americans opposed building AI data centres in their communities. Vice President JD Vance appeared to acknowledge some of the concerns after Trump’s post, although the provided account ends before detailing his position.

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If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.