Trump keeps touting data centers as Republicans try to pivot
Republican candidates are struggling with public backlash against data centers, an increasingly toxic issue on the campaign trail, despite former President Donald Trump's continued support for them. Several Republican governors and legislators are taking action to pause or regulate data center development due to concerns over their size, energy consumption, and noise. The issue is becoming a key
The article highlights a growing bipartisan backlash against data centers in the U.S., which are becoming a significant issue in the 2026 midterm election cycle, particularly for Republican candidates. Despite this, former President Donald Trump continues to strongly support data center expansion, referring to them as "money machines" and aligning with tech companies. This stance is creating a challenge for Republicans who are trying to pivot against the facilities due to public concerns over their size, energy consumption, noise, and perceived lack of local benefits.
Several Republican politicians have taken actions signaling a shift in their stance. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott paused approvals for new data centers pending regulatory audits, a move endorsed by Attorney General Ken Paxton. Ohio Senator Jon Husted introduced the "Ratepayer Protection Act" to prevent consumers from bearing data center utility costs. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order imposing new restrictions on future data centers, while Republican challenger Stacy Garrity criticized his past support for data center recruitment.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has warned that data centers are a "sleeper issue" that could harm their candidates, noting the effectiveness of attacks against pro-data center stances. Trump, however, maintains that data centers are crucial for U.S. AI competitiveness, urging local leaders to embrace them. He also introduced a non-binding "Ratepayer Protection Pledge" signed by 23 governors and executives from companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI, and Amazon, advocating for data centers to build their own power stations.
This ongoing debate underscores a rare issue that transcends party lines, with a Gallup poll indicating 71% of Americans oppose data center construction in their areas. Local politicians, such as Scranton, Pennsylvania Mayor Paige Cognetti and Rep. Rob Bresnahan, are also addressing the issue, with Bresnahan introducing legislation to protect municipalities from lawsuits if they deny data center proposals.