Former President Donald Trump has voiced strong support for data centers, asserting that local leaders should welcome them due to their significant economic contributions. Speaking alongside crypto executives at the White House on Wednesday, Trump stated that he would "absolutely" want a data center in his community if he were a mayor or governor.
"If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in, an 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.
This stance offers a counterpoint to growing public opposition to data centers, which has seen politicians from both parties becoming hesitant to approve their construction. Data centers are crucial for powering the vast computational needs of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. Despite concerns about resource consumption, data centers account for less than 1% of water usage, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and consume less electricity than commercial and residential lighting, according to Grid Lab.
Economic Impact in Communities
Data centers have been linked to substantial economic improvements in the areas where they are located. In Richland Parish, Louisiana, Meta's data center construction led to a significant increase in local sales-tax revenue, which funded teacher bonuses exceeding $50,000 in 2026. The median household income in Richland Parish prior to the data center's arrival was $50,000.
In Loudoun County, Virginia, approximately 250 data centers are projected to generate $1.3 billion in tax revenue next year, representing about 40% of the county's total tax income. This revenue has allowed for a roughly 30% reduction in residential property tax rates over the past decade, alongside investments in schools and public projects.
West Virginia is also considering initiatives that would facilitate data center development, with the revenue generated potentially being used to reduce or eliminate the state's income tax.
Public Perception and "Hysteria"
Despite these economic benefits, a recent Gallup poll indicated that 71% of Americans oppose building a data center in their area, compared to 53% who oppose a new nuclear power plant nearby. This widespread opposition has been described as a "a massive moral panic" by Sam Lyman, policy director at the America First Policy Institute.
Lyman suggested that the call to "Ban data centers" has become a rallying cry for progressive elites that may not serve the lower-income and working-class communities they claim to support. Trump's position is seen by supporters as providing essential public relations support for an industry facing significant public backlash and misinformation. The argument is that embracing data centers is vital for national economic growth and for America to maintain a competitive edge in the global AI race.