Trump urges local leaders to welcome AI data centers

President Donald Trump urged governors and mayors to welcome AI data centers, saying communities that reject them risk being left behind as other locations compete for projects. Speaking at a White House meeting with technology and cryptocurrency leaders, he said such facilities bring extensive construction work, permanent jobs and large tax payments to local governments.

Trump said the AI industry may need “a little public relations help” as public resistance grows. A Gallup poll from May found that most Americans oppose data centers in their communities, with concerns centered on environmental impact and the large amounts of electricity and water required to operate them. Trump argued that AI will create jobs and support medical innovation, pointing to advances related to a serious disease without giving details.

Trump said AI “may be bigger than the internet” and called for regulation that allows the U.S. to keep leading rather than stifling the sector. His administration has encouraged developers and tech companies to secure new electricity sources and has moved to speed permitting for data centers. Trump has also backed Stargate, a private-sector joint venture announced on Jan. 21, 2025, that planned to invest up to $500 billion in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure.