Communities That Reject Data Centers May End Up Poor and Left Behind, Trump Cautioned

Trump Hits Back at Critics: Communities Opposing Data Centers Could Be Left in Poverty

According to НВ — Техно: Published on September 1 at 13:01. On August 31, President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to caution that American communities blocking data-center projects risk becoming "backward and poor." He framed the facilities as economic engines that create jobs, lower taxes, and enrich local areas. Trump also argued that such opposition gives China an advantage and urged the public not to obstruct the industry's growth, warning that doing so could "kill the golden goose."

Nevertheless, large-scale data-center construction across the United States has drawn grassroots resistance, largely over its effects on electricity grids and water supplies. A Pew Research study found that 71% of Americans would not want a data center in their own community-a higher degree of opposition than that for nearby nuclear power plants.

• Truth Social users pushed back against Trump's remarks.
• One commenter pointed to the risk of rising electricity bills and shrinking water reserves.
• Another urged the president to listen to voters, cautioning that he could lose part of his support base.
• Vice President JD Vance sided with Trump, arguing that data centers are critical to the AI-driven economy.

Vance added that companies must simultaneously develop new energy capacity, ensuring that data centers add electricity to the grid instead of placing additional strain on it.

The episode highlights the growing tension between economic opportunity and environmental worries as advanced technologies expand. While some officials see data centers as a catalyst for growth, communities fighting the projects focus on infrastructure and resource risks. Balancing innovation with sustainable development is likely to remain a pressing issue, and the debate shows how polarizing major tech infrastructure has become.