WASHINGTON: AI data centre backlash intensified Monday after President Donald Trump said communities that reject the facilities risk becoming “backwards and poor,” as Republicans face mounting local opposition.
Trump argued that data centres can generate jobs, tax revenue and computing capacity needed for the United States to compete with China in artificial intelligence.
His comments came as energy and water use increasingly shape opposition to new projects. Public resistance is substantial. Gallup reported in May that seven in 10 Americans opposed construction of an AI data centre in their local area.
The March 2-18 survey found 48% strongly opposed such development. The issue has also reached Republican campaign strategy.
An August 18 National Republican Senatorial Committee memo said data centres had become a major problem for Senator Jon Husted in Ohio.
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The committee’s private polling placed Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown in a “dead heat.” Electricity demand lies at the centre of the debate.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that US data centres accounted for 4.4% of national electricity use in 2023. Its June 2026 update projected their share could reach 11.8% by 2030, with scenarios ranging from 9.5% to 15.3%.
The White House has sought to address household cost concerns through its Ratepayer Protection Pledge. Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI signed the March commitment to fund new generation and grid infrastructure required by their data centers.
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State governments are also tightening oversight. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an August 18 executive order requiring data center developers seeking state permits to meet energy, environmental, transparency and community standards.
