Data Darbar: Trump backs server farm boom as protests grow in US

US President Donald Trump has backed the expansion of data centers despite facing criticism from his MAGA base, warning that communities rejecting these facilities will become "backwards and poor". In a post on Truth Social, Trump argued that data centers would bring jobs, lower taxes and prosperity to the US. He also cautioned that China would be happy if the US obstructed the growth of these centers.

The US is currently constructing hundreds of data centers, with projections of over 3000 facilities by 2030. Major tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta and Oracle, along with AI companies, are leading the development of these centers. However, this push for more data centers is facing significant resistance from the public. A University of Pennsylvania survey found that 61% of Americans oppose new data centers in their communities, up from 49% in August.

Protests against data centers are strongest in Virginia, near Washington DC, known as "Data Center Alley". Opposition is also rising in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. Local activists, regardless of political affiliation, are concerned about the environmental and social impacts of these facilities, including higher electricity bills, water consumption, noise, air pollution, and loss of farmland.

While Trump's support for data centers may strain relations with part of his base, he is attempting to rally his voters behind the infrastructure development. The push for more data centers is not just a zoning dispute, but a complex issue involving who pays for AI, who benefits from it, and who bears its costs.