Trump says Texas being against data centers is a mistake: 'Data centers could be bigger than oil'
Former President Donald Trump has criticized Texas's stance against data centers, calling it a mistake and suggesting they could be more economically significant than oil. His comments follow Governor Greg Abbott's call for a sweeping audit of data centers seeking to connect to the state's power grid, effectively pausing new projects. The statewide debate is fueled by growing community opposition concerned about the water and electricity demands of these facilities.
Former President Donald Trump has weighed in on the burgeoning data center debate in Texas, asserting that the state's opposition to these facilities is "a mistake" and that data centers "could be bigger than oil." His remarks, made in a video interview, come as Governor Greg Abbott recently directed state regulators to conduct a comprehensive audit of all data centers seeking to connect to Texas's electricity grid, effectively pausing new developments.
Trump emphasized the economic benefits data centers bring to communities that embrace them and lauded their evolving ability to generate their own power, reducing reliance on the public grid. He also noted that excess electricity generated by these facilities could be fed back into the grid.
The former president's comments highlight a growing tension in the Lone Star State, which has seen significant data center growth due to its favorable business environment and available resources. However, this expansion has been met with increasing community backlash and grassroots opposition, raising concerns about the substantial water and electricity demands of these large facilities. Local officials are reportedly contemplating data center moratoriums in response to public outcry, while also weighing the economic advantages such projects offer.