Virginia residents push back against data center, dispute Trump's China claims

In Sterling, Virginia, the hum of a nearby data center has become a constant presence for residents like Lindsay Shaw. Her home sits across from the industrial neighbor, which has disrupted her life with its 24/7 noise, bright security lights, and the fumes from gas turbines and diesel generators.

Shaw's concerns were not immediate. Initially, she and her husband, who worked in cybersecurity, understood the necessity of data centers for modern infrastructure. However, their perspective shifted after the facility was approved and equipped with eight gas turbines for power while awaiting grid connection. The persistent noise, occasional smoke, and nightly illumination became undeniable issues only after the center became operational.

Meanwhile, in Washington, President Donald Trump has publicly attributed community pushback against data centers to foreign interference, specifically from China. He suggested that China is orchestrating opposition to U.S. data centers.

Shaw directly refutes this assertion. "It's not China telling us anything. It's not Russia telling us anything," she stated. "It's truly living next to it is what it is." Her opposition, she explained, is a direct result of the lived experience of enduring the data center's impact on her neighborhood.

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It’s not China telling us anything. It’s not Russia telling us anything. It’s truly living next to it is what it is.