‘Let data reign’: Trump rips into communities who are opposed to data centers, says they want to end up ‘backwards and poor’

President Trump stated on Monday that communities choosing to reject AI data centers will face significant negative economic consequences, The Hill reported. He warned that these areas risk falling behind while other regions embrace the technology to drive growth.

“The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He believes that if leaders want their regions to remain competitive, they should welcome the infrastructure rather than push it away. “If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign,” the president added. “The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them.”

This perspective comes as public pushback against data center construction has gained real momentum across the country. A recent survey conducted by Fox News last month highlighted this shift in sentiment, showing that 70 percent of respondents are against having a data center built in their area to support AI projects. This disapproval spans the political spectrum, with 60 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats voicing opposition to these projects.

The President sees data centers as a major catalyst for local prosperity

Many residents and lawmakers are primarily focused on the environmental and financial strain these facilities place on local resources. Cooling these massive servers requires a staggering amount of water. An analyst at the nonprofit Environmental and Energy Study Institute reported last year that a medium-sized data center can consume up to about 110 million gallons of water annually. To put that in perspective, that is the same amount of water used by roughly 1,000 households every year.

To address some of these financial pressures, major companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google have signed onto a ratepayer protection pledge. This agreement means these corporations have committed to covering the increased energy costs associated with their data centers. Despite these efforts, the issue has become a major talking point for candidates in swing states, many of whom are now supporting stricter regulations on data center development.

The President acknowledged the local resistance earlier this month, noting that he is fine with Republican candidates who take a stance against these facilities. He mentioned that he understands some people have different views on the matter. “I’m only saying that if I ran a community … if I was a mayor or if I was a governor in the state, I would want to have the data centers because they bring tremendous income,” he told reporters.

Trump further argued that if politicians and local communities move to restrict AI development, they are essentially destroying a major economic opportunity. He referred to AI as “the Golden Goose” and warned that those who oppose it will only have themselves to blame for the lost revenue. He also pointed toward international competition as a reason to maintain a faster pace of development.

The president added, “China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement. Actually, they can’t believe it is happening!”