Trump Urges Americans to Embrace Data Centres to Avoid Falling Behind in AI Race

US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Monday, telling Americans they risk ending up "backwards and poor" if they reject data centres in their local communities. Writing on Truth Social, he argued that growing public resistance to these facilities creates a significant economic hazard and risks handing China the advantage in the artificial intelligence race.

“The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want data centres is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” Mr Trump stated. “If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let data reign.” Describing the facilities as a "golden goose," he warned that China would take advantage of the rising anti-data centre sentiment.

These centres supply the necessary computing power for the AI boom and have become a major talking point for Americans ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections. Local residents have raised concerns regarding noise pollution, high water consumption, energy price hikes, and potential impacts on employment. Consequently, New York implemented a moratorium on hyperscale data centres, while Texas established an effective freeze on new projects, adding further obstacles for an industry already facing challenges in acquiring sufficient power and equipment.

Delays in construction pose serious consequences for US tech companies, which intend to invest over $700 billion in AI infrastructure this year, as well as for the Wall Street investors supporting them. This grassroots opposition also presents a political obstacle for Mr Trump, who has centred his economic policy around AI development and rapid nationwide tech expansion to drive job creation. Maintaining the US advantage over China in AI remains a core administration objective ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to the White House next month.

The backlash coincides with Democrats focusing on cost-of-living concerns in their efforts to reclaim congressional majorities in November, with figures like progressive senator Bernie Sanders supporting moratoriums on new developments. Research from Data Centre Watch indicates that at least 75 data centre projects faced blocks or delays due to local pushback in the first three months of the year, with notable resistance occurring in political battleground states such as Michigan and Georgia.