Trump attacks communities that reject data centers

Sep 01, 2026

Trump's push for AI data centers is running into a rare bipartisan revolt, and it looks like a serious problem for Republicans heading into the midterms.

  • Trump said towns that block data centers will end up "backwards and poor," and even his own supporters piled on in the replies.
  • Polls show 70% of Americans oppose data centers — old, young, rural, urban, Republican, Democrat alike.
  • Republicans in competitive races are running the other way: Abbott, Paxton, Rogers and DeSantis are all backing moratoriums or restrictions, as is Pennsylvania's Shapiro.
  • The stated worries are water, power bills and noise, but the deeper anger is about people losing any say over what gets built near them — and about AI itself.
  • The AI industry is fighting back with a $50 million advocacy war chest, starting in Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Outlook: Expect heavy pro-AI ad spending and more moratoriums, with data centers shaping up as a defining midterm issue — especially where depressed rural turnout could cost Republicans seats.

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