United States President Donald Trump has urged artificial intelligence (AI) data centre companies to pay dividends to communities hosting their facilities, as opposition to the centres becomes an increasingly contentious issue ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested that financial payments to local residents could help companies secure public support for the large facilities, which have faced criticism over their substantial water and energy consumption. “If companies want to make their Data Centers popular, pay the community, and/or individuals within the community, a ‘dividend’,” Trump wrote.
He said that he had observed data centres that were initially unpopular become widely accepted after companies reached financial agreements with local communities. “I have watched the process closely, and Data Centers that were highly unpopular in a certain area, have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck,” Trump said.
He urged companies to reach agreements with residents and proceed with construction, writing, “MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!!”
The proposal comes as Trump’s continued support for data centre expansion faces growing resistance, with the issue emerging as a political challenge for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
Republican Candidates Call For Tighter Oversight
Public opposition to AI data centres has grown amid concerns about the facilities’ demand for electricity and water, as well as their potential effects on surrounding communities.
The issue has prompted several prominent Republican Senate candidates to advocate tighter restrictions and greater oversight, marking a shift in their positions as the midterm elections approach.
Ken Paxton in Texas, Mike Rogers in Michigan and John Husted in Ohio have all called for increased scrutiny of data centre development.
The issue also featured prominently in a recent debate in Iowa, where Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson said decisions on whether to build AI data centres should be made at the local level.
Opposition to the facilities has become an area of rare bipartisan agreement, placing pressure on political candidates to address concerns among residents.
Polling cited in the report indicates that resistance extends beyond particular communities. A Gallup poll conducted in March found that 71 per cent of Americans opposed establishing AI data centres in their areas.
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released today recorded a similar level of opposition, with 72 per cent of respondents saying they opposed building new data centres in their communities.
The figures reflect the public resistance confronting companies seeking to expand AI infrastructure, as politicians weigh the economic opportunities associated with the technology against concerns about its local costs.
Trump Defends Data Centre Expansion
Despite the growing opposition, Trump has continued to argue that data centres are important to economic development and America’s position in the global AI industry.
In late August, he criticised what he called the “anti-Data Center movement,” describing it as a gift to China.
“The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.
“If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.”
Donald Trump
Trump has also pursued measures to accelerate the construction of data centres. These include an executive order issued last year that called for steps to fast-track permitting and environmental reviews.
The order also pledged to make federal land available for the “expeditious and orderly development of data centers.”
In addition, Trump has backed a voluntary pledge by AI companies to cover the full cost of the electricity consumed by their data centres. However, he has avoided supporting legally binding federal restrictions on their development.
His latest proposal focuses on financial agreements between companies and communities as a means of addressing public resistance without introducing new federal restrictions.
Whether such dividends would ease concerns over electricity consumption, water use and the broader impact of the facilities remains uncertain.
With public opposition reflected in polling and some Republican candidates advocating tighter oversight, data centre development has become a prominent issue in the debate over AI infrastructure and local decision-making ahead of the November midterm elections.
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