"Nobody's ever explained" data center energy use to Trump, president says
President Trump announced a voluntary pledge for governors and electricity companies to protect consumers from higher utility bills caused by data centers, despite admitting he doesn't fully understand their electricity needs. He emphasized the massive power demands of AI and data centers, calling AI bigger than the internet and crucial for global competition, while insisting that these entities should cover their own energy costs.
President Trump outlined a national "rate payer protection plan" aimed at shielding American consumers from rising electricity bills due to the proliferation of new data centers across the country. He expressed a personal lack of understanding regarding the significant electricity demands of data centers, stating he "didn't care that much" but acknowledged they require "more than double what we produce right now."
Trump emphasized the critical importance of AI, calling it "bigger than the internet" and asserting that the nation that wins the AI race will win globally. He announced that he has called upon governors and electricity companies to join a voluntary pledge to ensure that AI data centers and major tech companies cover their own energy costs, thereby preventing utility bill increases for families.