Trump weighs in on data center divide: Major backlash
Texas Commissioner for Agriculture Sid Miller criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott for refusing to enact a data center moratorium and for receiving millions in industry funds. Miller argues that Abbott's current stance against data centers is political posturing, while Miller advocates for legislative guardrails for the industry.
The National Desk reported on former President Trump's positive views on data centers, citing the 'enormous jobs and money' they bring. This follows Trump's criticism of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's pause on data center development, which Trump called a 'mistake.'
Texas Commissioner for Agriculture Sid Miller expressed agreement with Trump on the need for data centers but emphasized the importance of smart implementation. Miller criticized Governor Abbott for granting over $3 billion in taxpayer money through tax incentives to attract data centers, arguing this contradicts the idea of them generating tax revenue. He revealed that he had called for a one-year moratorium to allow the legislature time to pass laws and establish necessary 'guardrails' by September 2027, but Abbott refused.
Miller further accused Governor Abbott of a conflict of interest, stating that Abbott has received millions of dollars from the data center industry. He suggested that Abbott, who previously supported recruiting data centers, is now adopting a tough stance on the industry primarily for political gain ahead of an election. Miller reiterated his call for a special legislative session to address the issue immediately and implement regulations.