AOC reacts to Trump: 'Put a data center up in Mar-a-Lago'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded to Donald Trump's defense of data centers by suggesting one be built at Mar-a-Lago. This comment highlights ongoing tensions as Palm Beach County commissioners recently denied an AI data center proposal and New York State enacted a freeze on new data center construction.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, reacted to former President Donald Trump's recent defense of data centers, provocatively suggesting, "Let’s put a data center up in Mar-a-Lago." Her remarks came after Trump posted on Truth Social, arguing that communities should welcome data centers for economic prosperity and warning against an "anti Data Center movement" that he claims China would favor.
Trump's Truth Social post from Monday asserted that data centers bring wealth, jobs, and lower taxes, and that any community rejecting them risks becoming "backwards and poor." He further criticized New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for a previous decision to freeze data center construction in the state, calling it a politically motivated move against a key economic driver.
The broader context for these political exchanges includes local and state-level actions impacting data center development. In Palm Beach, Florida, where Mar-a-Lago is located, Cloud South operates a data center. Recently, Palm Beach County commissioners voted against a proposal for a new AI data center in the area, requiring the developer to resubmit their plans. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, also pushed back against Trump's stance, emphasizing the need for more local control over such developments and suggesting military installations as alternative sites for data centers.