Trump to Data Center Rebels: Enjoy Your Poverty
Trump took to Truth Social to blast Americans opposing data center construction in their towns, warning they'll end up "backwards and poor" and handing China a win if they keep resisting. The post lands as 71% of Americans oppose local data centers per Pew, more than nuclear plants, and even his own Truth Social fans pushed back over rising electricity bills and water use. Data center backers like Kevin O'Leary have blamed Chinese bots for the backlash, a claim he's admitted he can't actually prove.
Why it matters
This isn't a fringe NIMBY spat, it's 71% of Americans versus the AI boom's physical footprint: soaring power bills, drained water tables, and a president siding with the industry over his own supporters. Expect this to become a real 2026 wedge issue.