Trump warned communities opposing data centers they'll end up 'backwards and poor'

President Donald Trump on Monday continued his support for the expansion of data centers, despite mounting opposition from both Democrats and Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in November. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump argued that data centers would lead to wealthier and more successful Americans, warning that communities that oppose them will "end up being backwards and poor." He cautioned that "if we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame."

Data center expansion has become a key issue in the lead-up to the midterms, with a majority of Americans reportedly opposing their construction in their communities. Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed concerns over potential issues such as overloaded power grids, strained water systems, and noise created by the projects.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently implemented new regulations on data centers, despite initially backing them on the campaign trail. Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers and Pennsylvania GOP nominee for governor Stacy Garrity have also called for a temporary halt to some projects.

Despite the backlash, Trump remains adamant that data centers are essential for maintaining the United States' competitive edge in the artificial intelligence race. He made this point in a recent interview with his former fixer Michael Cohen and reiterated it on Monday. Trump expressed concern that China was "happy" with the anti-data center movement, emphasizing the importance of data centers for driving future job growth.

This is not the first time Trump has advocated for data center expansion. Last year, he signed an executive order aimed at expediting the permitting and construction of such facilities. In a separate Truth Social post from July, Trump described data centers as "one of the biggest Driving Forces in the Future for Jobs." In July, New York became the first state to impose a moratorium on the construction of new infrastructure, a move that Trump swiftly criticized after Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signed the executive order.