Trump Warns Data Center Opponents Risk Poverty as 70% of Americans Resist AI Projects
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Aug 31
Trump Warns Data Center Opponents Risk Poverty as 70% of Americans Resist AI Projects
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 31
Summary
Trump said communities rejecting AI data centers could become “backwards and poor,” escalating his defense of the projects as Republicans head into November’s midterm elections.
The political urgency is rising because an Aug. 18 NRSC memo said negative views of data centers are hurting Republicans in Ohio, where private polling showed Sen. Jon Husted in a dead heat with Sherrod Brown.
Public resistance has broadened well beyond one race: Gallup said 7 in 10 Americans oppose AI data centers in their local area, and Wolfe Research reported 60-point drops in net support across party lines over 12 months.
The backlash targets the rapid buildout of facilities used to train and run AI models, with opponents citing electricity costs, power demand, water use and other local impacts as Congress control hangs on the midterms.