Despite concerns over their electricity and water consumption, Donald Trump continues to double down on his support for data centers and their rapid buildout.
The president slammed communities that oppose them, saying they want to “end up being backward and poor.”
The issue has become a bone of contention among voters across both parties, but the president seems not to care and was involved in a minor tiff with Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas because of it.
Donald Trump is firmly behind the rapid expansion of massive data centers across the United States, even though most citizens disapprove.
The billionaire politician took to his Truth Social platform on Monday to slam communities that oppose the tech infrastructure, saying they risk economic hardship.
“The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backward and poor,” Trump wrote.
“If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign,” he added. “The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them.”
Americans Push Back On Rapid Data Center Expansion
Data centers are huge facility hubs packed with computers that power modern technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud storage.
To keep up with global technology competition, especially against rivals like China, Trump argues that the country must build as many of these facilities as possible.
However, many citizens disapprove of it. According to polls conducted by Fox News, many Americans prefer things to go slowly rather than see rapid expansion across the country.
The polls showed that 70% of voters oppose building data centers in their area to support artificial intelligence, while 30% support it.
Data Centers See Pushback Even Among MAGA Supporters
3Even among Trump’s core support base, not everyone welcomes the idea of building data centers for tech companies.
Among the group most likely to favor the buildout, 46% of MAGA supporters are in, while 45% of Republican men are also okay with it. The most opposed are white women with a college degree (84%) and liberal voters (80%).
For those in support, 60% say economic benefits, including jobs, economic growth, community investment, and tax revenue, are the reason they support it.
Another 21% cited technological advantages, saying they’re useful and necessary for a future growth path.
Trump At Odds With Republicans Over Data Centers
3Trump’s support for data centers continues to put him at odds with a growing number of fellow Republicans who fear a voter backlash.
State politicians from his own party view the situation very differently, particularly in Texas, where he recently went toe-to-toe with Gov. Greg Abbott over the situation.
Ahead of the November midterms, he traveled to Houston, Texas, on Thursday, August 27, to headline a Republican National Committee fundraiser and campaign for Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate bid.
Texas has a number of these data centers, but Paxton and Abbott are known to be wary of them. The governor even paused new projects from connecting to the state’s power grid as voters cry foul over fears of a potential increase in electricity costs, a move Paxton approves of.
However, Trump called the decision “a mistake,” highlighting how not everyone within his party is on the same page, per The Washington Post.
Trump Cites Economic Advantages As Reason For Data Center Support
3Trump has been very forward with accelerating data center buildout. Last year, he signed an executive order that fast-tracks federal permitting, helps procure federal land, and opens up qualified projects to financial incentives.
He has had several meetings with tech leaders and has celebrated multi-billion-dollar deals for new data centers. During a recent meeting with leaders in the crypto industry, he cited several economic advantages as the main reason he supports building the centers.
“If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big AI plant or a data center, I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous, and the money paid, the taxes paid are just enormous,” Trump said.
“And if you don’t take it, you’re going to be left behind because there are plenty of places that want it.”
