President Donald Trump has vocally defended the expansion of data centers, framing them as crucial for economic growth and the nation's competitive edge in artificial intelligence, a stance that is creating political friction for Republicans ahead of the midterms. Trump's administration views the race for AI dominance as akin to a modern-day Manhattan Project, emphasizing the need to secure a lead over China.
Trump has stated that data centers will help create jobs and lower taxes in communities, urging Americans to "let data reign." He also warned against hindering their growth, stating, "If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame." However, this unvarnished support for the energy-intensive facilities is increasingly alienating voters and complicating messaging for Republican candidates.
Data centers are facing a growing backlash from residents concerned about their impact on local power grids, water resources, noise, and pollution. A typical facility can consume as much electricity as 100,000 homes, and the Department of Energy projects that data centers could account for up to 12 percent of U.S. electricity demand by 2028, up from roughly 4.4 percent in 2023.
This opposition has led Republican candidates to adopt a more cautious approach than the president. For example, Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee publicly disagreed with Trump's characterization of data center critics as "backwards and poor." In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton has proposed repealing tech industry tax incentives, despite previously supporting tax exemptions for data centers. In Ohio, Sherrod Brown is targeting Republican Senator Jon Husted, labeling him the "face of data centers" due to his past efforts to recruit such facilities to the state with tax and regulation incentives. Similarly, in Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has criticized his Republican opponent Mike Rogers for investments in tech companies linked to data centers.
Political strategists suggest Trump is operating in a "bubble," detached from the concerns of voters. They advise candidates to take a more nuanced approach, acknowledging community concerns and advocating for data centers to cover their own power and water costs, with any savings flowing back to local areas. The "worst-case scenario" for Republicans, according to one strategist, is that disillusioned rural voters might stay home during the midterms.
While tech executives have struggled to articulate the benefits of data centers and AI to the public, Trump's team is linking their expansion to his broader economic agenda of reindustrializing the United States. Former White House deputy communications director Alex Pfeiffer stated that data centers bring "good-paying blue-collar jobs and tax revenue to towns across the country."
However, public opinion polls indicate significant skepticism. A recent Gallup poll found 48 percent of voters strongly oppose data centers. A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll showed only 12 percent of Americans favor their construction, with 25 percent supporting a total ban. The same poll revealed that 43 percent of respondents would support data centers if local communities agreed to their construction. The poll also indicated that more Americans are wary of AI, with 38 percent expressing fear compared to 26 percent who are excited.
The White House, represented by deputy press secretary Davis Ingle, has defended the president's position, asserting that data centers are vital for maintaining "America's dominance over China in the global AI race." Ingle also noted the administration's support for tech companies covering their own utility costs to prevent burdening residents.