Trump defends AI data centers as pro-AI group launches ad campaign in battleground states

President Donald Trump is strongly defending AI data centers, warning that communities blocking them will end up "backwards and poor." This aggressive stance clashes with the cautious approach of Vice President JD Vance and state Republicans, who are grappling with severe voter backlash over rising utility costs. As polls show up to 70% of Americans oppose local data centers, the issue has become a critical midterm flashpoint. In response, the billionaire-backed group Build American AI is launching a multimillion-dollar ad campaign in battleground states like Ohio, Kansas, and Wisconsin to reshape public opinion.

Trump defense of data centers

• ▪President Donald Trump claimed on August 21, 2026, that he mandated data centers to build their own electricity generation so they do not draw power from the public grid.
• ▪President Donald Trump defended artificial intelligence data centers on August 31, 2026, posting on Truth Social that communities opposing them risk ending up "backwards and poor."
• ▪President Donald Trump stated on August 31, 2026, that communities should "let Data Reign" to achieve economic success, lower taxes, and job creation.

Republican messaging tensions

• ▪President Donald Trump criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott's regulatory approach to data centers, calling the state's restrictions a "mistake" that could hinder global AI leadership.
• ▪Vice President JD Vance expressed sympathy on August 31, 2026, for local concerns, stating that 99% of the backlash occurs when data centers cause higher utility bills.

Voter opposition polling

• ▪An August 2026 Texas Politics Project poll of 1,200 voters found that 57% of Texans oppose local data center construction, while 30% support it.
• ▪A Gallup poll conducted in March 2026 and released in May found that seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing artificial intelligence data centers in their local areas.
• ▪A July 2026 Politico poll found that 41% of adult Americans oppose data centers within three miles of their homes, compared to 24% who support them.

Midterm election implications

• ▪An August 18, 2026, National Republican Senatorial Committee memo warned that voter backlash against data centers has become a major obstacle for Republican candidates.
• ▪The National Republican Senatorial Committee reported that private polling showed Republican Senator Jon Husted in a dead heat with Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio's special Senate election.

Pro-AI advocacy group ad campaign

• ▪Build American AI is focusing its initial advertising campaign on the key midterm election battleground states of Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
• ▪The pro-AI advocacy group Build American AI launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign on August 31, 2026, to promote the benefits of data centers.
• ▪Build American AI is a nonprofit organization with approximately $50 million cash on hand and is affiliated with the super PAC Leading the Future.

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