Trump defends data centers amid growing opposition
President Donald Trump has waded into the debate over data centers, warning that communities which reject them risk being left behind economically. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "The only reason that communities throughout the A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor." He added that communities that embrace data centers would be "successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place," and warned, "If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame."
In a separate interview that aired Aug. 23, Trump said communities that turn away data centers are "making a mistake," citing the jobs and tax revenue they bring. "I'm letting them build their own power plants," he said in the interview taped Aug. 20. "Frankly, communities that don't take a data center, they're making a mistake because there's plenty of communities that want them. Because it means jobs, and it means tremendous tax revenue coming into the towns and cities that take them."
The president's remarks come as data centers have become an unexpected flashpoint in the upcoming S. midterm elections. Voters across the political spectrum have voiced concerns about rising electricity bills, noise, and environmental impacts associated with the facilities. A Gallup survey released in May found that 70% of Americans oppose building data centers in their communities, including 48% who strongly oppose. Another poll cited in reports shows three-quarters of Americans would oppose a data center being built next to their homes.
Economic benefits vs. local concerns
Proponents of data centers point to their economic advantages. From 2017 to 2023, data center employment increased by more than 50%, according to PwC, and the industry's contribution to government finances grew by 146% over the same period. The average data center employs 150 workers, with technical salaries ranging from $78,000 to $134,000, according to a 2025 review. As of Aug. 19, there were more than 4,700 data centers across the United States, according to Data Center Map, with Virginia home to more than 600 and Texas following closely.
Opponents, however, highlight significant drawbacks. Large data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons of water in a single day, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, and about 80% of that water evaporates. They can also generate noise audible hundreds of feet away around the clock, leading to health issues such as headaches and sleep disturbances. In 2023, data centers consumed 176 terawatt-hours of electricity in the , more than 4% of total consumption, per the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
These concerns have fueled grassroots opposition. Research group Data Center Watch found that grassroots groups blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects worth approximately $130 billion in the first three months of the year. Communities such as Monterey Park in California, Prince William County in Virginia, and Wake County in North Carolina have successfully pushed back against data center developments. A coalition of more than 230 environmental organizations urged Congress last year to halt new data center development, citing the climate crisis, worsening droughts, and rising electricity bills.
Political and geopolitical dimensions
The issue has also taken on geopolitical significance. Trump framed the opposition as a gift to China, saying Beijing "could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement. Actually, they can't believe it is happening!" The S. is in a race with China to develop AI, and data centers are critical infrastructure for that competition. China is on course to double its data center capacity within the next five years, according to reports. Some S. media reports have suggested China may be trying to stoke opposition to data centers, with a congressional committee demanding an investigation—an allegation Trump did not repeat but noted Beijing would be pleased with the situation.
Vice President JD Vance responded to Trump's comments, calling data centers an "important part of the AI economy." He said companies building data centers should also build power plants alongside them. "I think probably 99% of the backlash to datacenters has come in areas where building a datacenter means higher utility and higher electricity for the people on the ground," Vance said. He added that companies should take advantage of federal deregulatory efforts.
The debate has even touched Trump's home state of Florida, where Palm Beach County has seen opposition to data centers. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a one-year pause on data center construction in July, prompting Trump to defend the facilities on Truth Social, calling them "big, strong, bold, and Money Machines for the State in which they are built."