Trump Wants Communities To Welcome Data Centers. But Even Close Allies Are Saying No.

President Donald Trump is urging communities to embrace the rapid expansion of data centers across the U.S., but growing public opposition is turning the infrastructure needed to power artificial intelligence into an increasingly contentious political issue.

Trump defended data centers in an interview with his former lawyer Michael Cohen that aired Sunday, arguing that the facilities bring jobs and investment while helping the U.S. maintain its lead over China in the AI field. "Communities that don't take a data center, they're making a mistake," Trump said, according to Axios. He also said data centers are increasingly building their own power plants rather than relying on the grid.

Some projects are developing dedicated power generation, while others continue to draw electricity from the wider grid. Concerns over power demand, electricity bills, water use and large-scale construction have helped fuel opposition to new projects.

A survey released this month by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 61% of Americans oppose construction of a new data center in their area, up from 49% in March. The opposition crosses party lines, with 69% of Democrats, 54% of Republicans and 53% of independents against new projects near them.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has become one of the most prominent Republicans responding to the backlash. Abbott told ABC's "This Week" that data center companies had "dug their own grave" after failing to do enough to gain community support, according to Axios.

The position marks a sharp shift for Abbott, who last November called Texas the "epicenter of AI development" while joining Google to announce a $40 billion investment in three data center campuses. Earlier this month, Abbott ordered regulators to audit data centers seeking connections to the Texas power grid before allowing projects to move forward. The Texas governor's office said the review would cover all data centers in ERCOT's interconnection process.

Trump's administration has also sought to address concerns about who pays for the industry's growing electricity needs. Under the White House's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, participating companies agree to pay for new power-delivery infrastructure required by their data centers rather than passing those costs on to households. Companies are also expected to build, bring or buy the power needed for their facilities.

Candidates from both parties are backing pauses or tougher conditions on data center projects as the issue gains attention ahead of the 2026 midterms, Axios reported. New York has imposed a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, while Pennsylvania has tightened its approach to new projects.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee warned major AI companies that voter anger over data centers could hurt Republicans in the closely watched Ohio Senate race, according to a private memo obtained by Axios. The committee cautioned that a Republican loss blamed on the issue could make politicians elsewhere more reluctant to support similar projects.