Trump suggests data centers pay for their own electricity, pay dividends to local communities
President Donald Trump proposed requiring new data centers to generate their own electricity and pay dividends to local communities. The Memphis City Council rejected a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers amid concerns about electricity costs, water consumption and the broader impacts of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
President Donald Trump called for new data centers to produce their own electricity, return excess power to local communities and pay community dividends. The proposal, announced less than two weeks before the midterm elections, represents a shift from his earlier criticism of data center opponents.
The Memphis City Council considered but rejected a temporary moratorium on data centers after residents including Tikeila Rucker and Amber Sherman spoke in favor of pausing development. The debate reflects broader national opposition driven by concerns over rising electric bills, water use and the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Todd Eisenstadt of American University said data centers have become a focus of growing public unease, while polling cited by the article found that 66% of Americans oppose new data center construction.