{
  "id": 4760300,
  "title": "Trump: AI data centre opponents want US to be 'backwards and poor'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/trump-ai-data-centre-opponents-want-us-to-be-backwards-and-poor",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-01T01:29:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/09/1523163/trump-ai-data-centre-opponents-want-us-be-backwards-and-poor"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US President Donald Trump criticized opponents of artificial intelligence data centres on Monday, claiming they would make the U.S. \"backwards and poor\" and boost China's influence. The backlash against energy-intensive centers has become a surprise issue in the upcoming US midterm elections, with Trump at odds with many Republicans. A majority of Americans now oppose building these centers due to rising electricity bills and noise. Trump stated, \"If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.\" He warned that destroying the \"Golden Goose\" would only lead to economic hardship. Republicans face the risk of losing control of Congress amid the Iran war driving up living costs, and data centre opposition is growing based on opinion polls. Trump's Vice President, JD Vance, took a more measured stance, emphasizing that data centers should contribute to the grid rather than consume energy. Despite opposition, Trump's administration has backed tech firms in a voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge. China, set to nearly double its data center capacity in five years, may be pleased with the anti-data centre movement, as suggested by US media reports.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday attacked opponents of artificial intelligence data centres, saying they would end up “backwards and poor” and were helping rival China.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Tom's Hardware",
        "title": "Trump says communities that reject data centers 'want to end up being backwards and poor' — President claims China 'could not be happier' with AI data center backlash in the US",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/trump-says-communities-that-reject-data-centers-want-to-end-up-being",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:05:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC Technology",
        "title": "Trump says U.S. communities opposing AI data centers could end up 'backwards and poor'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/trump-says-u-s-communities-opposing-ai-data-centers-could-end-up",
        "published": "2026-08-31T17:32:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Axios",
        "title": "\"Let data reign\": Trump and AI investors wage campaign to save data centers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/let-data-reign-trump-and-ai-investors-wage-campaign-to-save-data",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:22:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechRadar",
        "title": "'Let data reign'; Trump warns that those who don't let AI data centers proliferate will end up 'backwards and poor'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/let-data-reign-trump-warns-that-those-who-dont-let-ai-data-centers",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:04:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Trump says AI data centre opponents want to be ‘backwards and poor’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/trump-says-ai-data-centre-opponents-want-to-be-backwards-and-poor",
        "published": "2026-08-31T21:19:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}