Trump warns communities opposing data centers risk becoming 'backwards and poor'

President Donald Trump has warned that U.S. communities opposing data centers risk becoming "backwards and poor," placing himself at odds with widespread public opposition and his own party's midterm campaign anxieties. While Trump urges the nation to "let data reign" to maintain an AI edge over China, Vice President JD Vance has taken a more nuanced stance, acknowledging that 99% of the backlash stems from rising utility bills and calling on tech firms to build their own power generation.

Trump data center advocacy

• ▪President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on August 31, 2026, warning that communities opposing data centers risk becoming "backwards and poor" and missing out on economic success.
• ▪President Donald Trump claimed that data centers are a net benefit to the energy grid, stating on August 21, 2026, that he mandated them to build their own electricity generation.

Community opposition to data centers

• ▪Local communities including Monterey Park in California, Prince William County in Virginia, and Wake County in North Carolina have successfully pushed back against data center developments.
• ▪A Gallup survey conducted in March 2026 found that 70% of Americans oppose constructing artificial intelligence data centers in their local areas.
• ▪Grassroots groups blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects worth approximately $130 billion in the first three months of 2026, according to the research group Data Center Watch.

Republican midterm election concerns

• ▪The National Republican Senatorial Committee issued an August 18, 2026, memo warning that voter backlash against data centers is hurting Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections.
• ▪In Michigan, Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers backed a one-year pause on data centers, while his Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed called for an indefinite pause until federal regulations are established.
• ▪In Ohio's special Senate election, private polling showed Republican Jon Husted in a dead heat with Democrat Sherrod Brown, who has made opposition to data centers a centerpiece of his campaign.

China AI competition warnings

• ▪China is on course to nearly double its data center capacity within the next five years as the artificial intelligence race with the United States intensifies.
• ▪President Donald Trump asserted that China is pleased with the American anti-data center movement, warning that resistance undercuts the United States' edge in the global artificial intelligence race.

Electricity costs rising

• ▪Data center construction spending accounted for 2.3% of all United States construction spending as of April 2026, equating to over $50 billion, according to Census Bureau data.
• ▪A Goldman Sachs analysis projected that the share of total United States peak summer power demand created by data centers will rise to 8.5% in 2027, up from 4.1% in 2025.

Vance utility bill concerns

• ▪Vice President JD Vance stated on August 31, 2026, that 99% of the backlash to data centers occurs in areas where building them leads to higher utility and electricity bills for local residents.
• ▪Vice President JD Vance urged tech companies to build their own power plants and put power back into the grid to mitigate public controversy over data centers.