Donald Trump has asked Americans to accept the expansion of the data centers necessary for the use of artificial intelligence, although its construction faces opposition in different states due to electricity and water consumption, environmental impact, and the fear that it will raise household bills.
Featured story
The Meta pact in the US raises pressure in Europe to protect minors on social media
6 minutes
During a meeting held at the White House with representatives from the technology and cryptocurrency sectors, the U.S. president defended that governors and mayors should facilitate the installation of these complexes in their territories. "If I were a governor or mayor, I would want that plant in my community," Trump stated. The president has maintained that data centers create numerous jobs from their initial phase, during construction, to their final stage, in addition to being a great source of tax revenue for the administration.
The intervention comes as data centers have become a political issue ahead of the midterm elections, as both Democratic and Republican candidates have hardened their positions against facilities that large tech companies need to train and run artificial intelligence models.
Seven out of ten Americans oppose
Trump's position contrasts with the opinion expressed by a wide majority of citizens. A Gallup poll published in May concluded that 71% of Americans oppose the construction of an artificial intelligence data center in their area, while 48% strongly reject that possibility. In fact, only a quarter of those surveyed supported the installation of one of these complexes near their home.
On the other hand, Trump's opposition crosses major political sensitivities, although it is more intense among Democrats: 56% declared themselves firmly opposed, compared to 39% of Republicans and 48% of independents. In fact, among those who reject these projects, half mention their concern about the high consumption of resources such as water and electricity, followed by those who mention their concern about pollution, noise, land occupation, and the possible consequences on energy costs.
Supporters of data centers use arguments similar to those expressed by Trump, such as: two-thirds highlight the economic benefits and 55% believe they can create jobs, in addition to increasing tax revenues.
Why the United States Needs More Data Centers
Data centers house the servers and equipment necessary to store information, provide cloud services, and develop artificial intelligence tools. The rise of generative models has multiplied the demand for computing capacity and has driven projects of much larger dimensions than those built during previous decades.
The White House considers this infrastructure a strategic piece to compete with China, which is why the Trump Administration's artificial intelligence plan seeks to expedite the authorizations of data centers, semiconductor factories, high-voltage lines, and energy facilities linked to these projects.
In July 2025, Trump signed an order to accelerate the granting of federal permits and facilitate the use of land managed by the Government. In fact, his legislative framework on artificial intelligence, presented in March 2026, asks Congress to eliminate regulatory obstacles and allow centers to generate electricity within their own facilities, which shows the main interest of the White House.
Thus, the strategy aims to prevent the limitations of the electrical grid from hindering technological investments, as they would represent a significant setback for tech companies.
Electricity Consumption at the Center of the Controversy
Data centers consumed about 4.4% of all electricity used in the United States during 2023, according to a study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory released by the Department of Energy. The proportion could reach 11.8% by the end of the decade, although various official scenarios place the outcome between 9.5% and 15.3%. The facilities need a permanent supply to power the servers and additional energy to cool equipment that operates continuously.
The concentration of projects is already modifying demand in some states. The Energy Information Administration indicates that the electric consumption of the commercial sector in Virginia increased by almost 30 million megawatt-hours between 2019 and 2025, a growth mainly related to the high presence of data centers.
Therefore, the fear of the neighbors is that the investments necessary to expand networks, plants, and transmission lines will end up being transferred to domestic bills, in addition to the rising concern about the use of water to cool the data centers, located in areas affected by droughts or with limited water resources.
Trump promises that tech companies will pay for their energy
The White House has tried to respond to the discontent through the so-called "Electricity Consumer Protection Commitment": a voluntary agreement in which tech and energy companies commit to financing the infrastructure necessary to supply the new data centers.
Trump expanded the initiative in July with the inclusion of 23 governors and 187 companies, among electric companies, developers, and center operators. The president then assured that households would not have to bear the energy costs generated by the expansion of artificial intelligence.
However, the commitment is not binding, so its ability to contain bills has raised doubts among consumer organizations and environmental groups. The very legislative framework of the White House acknowledges that residential users should not pay for the infrastructures that these complexes need.
On the other hand, Trump maintains that the increase in generation capacity will lower electricity costs, as he stated during the presentation of the agreement: "you cannot fight against data centers. You have to accept it."
Texas, New York, and other states tighten the conditions
The resistance has caused changes in governments of different political signs. In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott ordered a temporary halt to new authorizations while regulators review the electric and water consumption of the projects.
Abbott has also raised the possibility of withdrawing some of the tax advantages granted to the sector and ensuring that consumers do not pay for the expansions of the network. The reaction is significant because Texas had actively competed to attract technology investments.
New York suspended for a year the approval of large data centers to study new environmental and energy protections. Arizona froze certain tax exemptions for three years, while Illinois halted new incentives until lawmakers establish stricter conditions.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro has accused some developers of pressuring small municipalities to expedite projects that lack funding, available electricity, or confirmed customers. His Administration is accounting for information on more than a hundred proposals in the state.
The controversies also affect agricultural land, forests, and small towns. Residents complain about the constant noise from cooling systems, the operation of emergency diesel generators, and the transformation of rural areas through complexes that can exceed the size of stadiums or factories.
An electoral issue for Democrats and Republicans
The opposition to data centers has generated unusual coalitions among conservative farmers, neighborhood associations, environmentalists, and organizations linked to the left. The rejection has led candidates from both parties to demand that developers pay for their own infrastructure, reduce water consumption, and provide more information about their operations.
Trump distances himself from that caution and presents the centers as an economic opportunity and a strategic necessity. His argument combines technological competition with China, job creation, and tax revenue, but the Gallup poll shows that the national benefits of artificial intelligence have not dispelled local reservations.
The dispute will carry over to the November elections. While the White House accelerates permits and seeks new energy sources, state and municipal governments retain essential powers over land use, local licenses, water, and the connection of projects to the grid.