Trump remains popular in Wyoming even as his beef, data center policies put him at odds

President Donald Trump's recent policies, particularly his stance on data center development, are generating friction with some of his conservative base in Wyoming. Despite Wyoming remaining a bastion of support for Trump, with 54% approval according to a tracking poll, his numbers have declined significantly since 2025.

Trump recently criticized communities opposing data center projects, warning they risk becoming "backwards and poor," a comment made amidst a surge of data center proposals near Wyoming cities like Cheyenne, Casper, Wheatland, and Evanston. This stance contrasts with a Gallup poll showing significant national opposition to data centers in communities, and split opposition within Wyoming, where some Republican candidates have campaigned against data center expansion.

For example, Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, a staunch Trump loyalist and candidate for the U.S. House, explicitly campaigned on a pledge to stop new data center construction, rejecting tax subsidies and special treatment for "big tech billionaires." This data center policy, coupled with a controversial decision to pause higher tariffs on ground beef imports—a move criticized by ranchers and agricultural leaders like Jim Magagna of the Wyoming Stockgrowers—suggests a potential erosion of Trump's support, according to retired University of Wyoming political science professor Jim King. Republican state Senator Ogden Driskill also voiced opposition to the beef import decision, highlighting the financial impact on Wyoming's agricultural sector.