Responding to the “hate wave” against data centers, Trump: Americans who oppose will “eventually fall behind and become poor”

The U.S. President is personally endorsing the construction of AI infrastructure, but under election pressure, politicians within the U.S. parties are defecting one after another. This political tug-of-war around data centers is intensifying.

On August 31, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, using strong language to defend the surge in data center construction, stating that American communities opposing these projects "want to be left behind and poor," and urging everyone to "let the data rule."

This is his most direct public statement so far regarding AI infrastructure construction across the country. Analysts point out that this construction boom is becoming a hot-potato issue for the midterm elections, leading to internal rifts within the Republican Party.

According to the Financial Times, dozens of data center projects across the United States have been suspended or cancelled due to local opposition, involving an investment scale of about $150 billion.

Meanwhile, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are competing to announce suspensions, audits, or bans of new projects in an effort to align with public sentiment ahead of the elections. This wave of backlash not only threatens the tech sector's investment strategy but also puts pressure on the Trump administration's economic agenda.

Economics: The Collision Between AI Investment and Election Politics

In his post, Trump directly linked data center construction to national prosperity. He wrote:

If we kill the golden goose, you only have yourselves to blame.

He also referenced arguments from executives at large tech companies, saying that if the expansion of data centers slows, it will give other countries a chance to surpass the U.S. in the AI sector.

Analysts believe that AI-related investment is currently a key driver of U.S. economic growth, helping to offset the impact of high energy prices. This also means that the stagnation of data center construction is not just an industry issue, but one that directly affects the Trump administration's economic performance narrative.

At the same time as Trump's statement, Silicon Valley capital began to move proactively.

According to the Financial Times, an advocacy group linked to billionaires in the tech and AI sectors announced Monday that it would launch a "multi-million dollar public relations campaign," airing ads in Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin to highlight the economic benefits of data centers.

The group is connected with the Super PAC Leading the Future, which has raised more than $75 million from Silicon Valley billionaires, including venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman.

The group said it would support state and federal candidates who advocate for removing barriers to the construction of U.S. AI infrastructure before the November election.

Party Rifts: From Strong Support to Defection

A few hours after Trump's post, Vice President Vance visited Michigan to campaign. Vance stated on the way that he believes "about 99% of the backlash" comes from rising energy prices in surrounding areas, and if developers can solve this issue, "data centers would be much less controversial."

Both parties in Michigan are strongly opposing data centers, and Mike Rogers, the senatorial candidate endorsed by Trump, has therefore called for a one-year statewide pause on related projects.

Texas Governor and Republican Greg Abbott was previously a strong advocate for data center construction, but this month effectively halted hundreds of related projects in the state, stating that developers "got the backlash they deserved."

Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds initially welcomed data centers, but has now shifted to a critical stance.

Republican strategists warn that data centers are becoming political "poison." Internal polling shows these projects are highly unpopular, becoming a focal point for public anger over the expanding power of big tech companies, rising electricity prices, and the disruptive impact of AI.

Trump himself previously admitted that data centers are in need of "PR rescue."