‘Let Data Reign’: Trump decries opposition to data centres in US

What the report says

US President Donald Trump has publicly urged Americans to stop opposing data centres, saying communities should welcome the facilities because they can bring jobs and lower taxes. In a social media post reported by Al Jazeera on Monday, Trump argued that places resisting data centres risk becoming economically weaker, while those that accept them could benefit from growth tied to the technology sector and artificial intelligence.

The remarks come amid widening political resistance to data centre expansion across the United States. Al Jazeera reported that concerns include high electricity use, pressure on the power grid, possible higher utility bills and heavy water consumption needed to cool servers. Environmental critics and consumer advocates have also called for tighter federal oversight, while some nearby residents complain about noise from the facilities.

The debate is not confined to one party. According to the report, opposition and caution have emerged among both Republican and Democratic voters, and a Gallup poll in March found broad public resistance to siting AI data centres in local communities. Some Republican figures have also begun to question the pace of development, including a Michigan Senate candidate who backed a temporary state pause.

Vice President JD Vance later acknowledged some of the concerns, saying data centres are important to the AI economy but should be paired with new power generation so they do not strain the grid. The issue is likely to remain a major policy and local planning dispute as more facilities are proposed nationwide.