{"slug": "trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them", "title": "Trump has been shown polling on voters’ hatred of data centers. He’s backing them anyway", "summary": "President Donald Trump is backing data center development despite polling showing widespread opposition, with a May Gallup survey finding 70 percent of Americans oppose AI data centers in their communities and a YouGov survey showing 51 percent say building data centers is bad for the country. Trump has called data centers the 'golden goose' and argues they create jobs and help the U.S. outpace China in AI, while a White House spokesperson said Trump's policies ensure the American people never foot the bill for private companies' profits.", "body_md": "# Trump has been shown polling on voters’ hatred of data centers. He’s backing them anyway\n\n‘Trump is married to data centers no matter what because it’s the only real job creator,’ a former Trump official said\n\n- Bookmark\n- CommentsGo to comments\n\nA majority of Americans have concerns about[ data centers cropping up across the country](/news/world/americas/data-centers-risks-usa-b2991889.html), and the opposition among lawmakers spans party lines.\n\nBut the industry has found a champion in[ President Donald Trump](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-kennedy-center-reflecting-pool-b3041938.html), who has hailed the colossal computing facilities as the “golden goose,” despite being shown unfavorable polling among voters on the issue, according to a new report.\n\nLast week, Trump said that if he were a town mayor, he would “absolutely” welcome an “AI plant or data center,” citing what he described as enormous job opportunities.\n\nOn Monday, he struck a harsher tone.\n\n“The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want [Data Centers](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-data-centers-nuclear-sites-ai-b3024167.html) is if they want to end up being backwards and poor... If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame,” he posted on Truth Social.\n\nTrump’s advocacy reflects several calculations: his view that the U.S. must outpace [China](/news/northern-mariana-islands-china-two-donald-trump-los-angeles-b3043582.html) in artificial intelligence and his belief that data center construction is helping sustain the economy, [ Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/02/trumps-seen-the-data-center-polling-and-he-still-supports-them-01061244) reported.\n\nAt the same time, he’s trying to reshape the narrative on an issue that has become a political liability ahead of the [November midterms](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-midterm-convention-republicans-b3043586.html).\n\nThe scale of this liability is illustrated by recent polling. In a May Gallup survey, 70 percent of Americans said they opposed the construction of AI data centers in their community.\n\nIn a YouGov survey released this week, 51 percent of respondents said building data centers is bad for the country, while 20 percent described it as good. Concerns range from [water usage](/news/world/americas/virginia-republican-richmond-worries-democratic-b3021254.html) to [higher energy bills](/tech/big-tech-data-centers-power-grid-b2923988.html) — with the government estimating 12 percent of all electricity could be used to power the centers by 2028.\n\nThe president himself is aware of the polling, *Politico* reported.\n\n“He looks at the polling. He looks at what people are saying,” an unnamed senior White House official told the outlet. “Polling isn’t necessarily great on data centers, but it’s incumbent upon us to explain our position. I think that’s part of what he was trying to do.”\n\n“President Trump’s bold leadership is turning data centers into engines of growth and opportunity for communities across the country that want them, all while cementing America’s dominance over China in the global AI race,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told *The Independent*. “By requiring data centers to pay for their own power, water, and utilities, the President has ensured the American people never foot the bill for private companies’ profits. President Trump will continue leveraging the data center boom to deliver real benefits for working families and small businesses.”\n\nTrump’s rhetoric is also aimed at bolstering Republicans ahead of the [elections](/news/world/americas/us-politics/republicans-trump-senate-midterm-elections-b3042142.html), given some GOP candidates have embraced data center development.\n\n“Data centers are a big topic of conversation when it comes to the midterms, when it comes to what people are concerned about, so he’s not going to shy away from letting everyone know exactly how he feels,” the official said.\n\nBut a number of Republicans have sought to distance themselves from the issue, including Michigan’s Mike Rogers and [Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-texas-paxton-senate-republicans-b3041875.html). Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate, unveiled a plan that would impose restrictions on data centers last month.\n\nTennessee Rep. Tim Burchett even took a shot directly at Trump. After the president’s post slamming data center critics as misguided, Burchett said: “[I guess I’m backwards and poor](/news/world/americas/us-politics/tim-burchett-data-centers-trump-b3042866.html).”\n\nDemocrats, too, seized on the line. [New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez](/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-aoc-data-center-mar-a-lago-b3042993.html) said: “Let’s put a data center up in Mar-a-Lago, and we’ll see how backwards and poor he is in response to that.”\n\nThe president’s calculation also reflects the potential economic impact of data centers in the U.S.\n\n“Trump is married to data centers no matter what because it’s the only real job creator,” a former Trump administration official told *Politico*.\n\nInvestment in AI has reached extraordinary levels, much of it directed toward building enormous data centers equipped with complex computing hardware and cooling technology. By one estimate, the broader expansion of AI infrastructure could draw about [$8 trillion](https://business.columbia.edu/sites/default/files-efs/imce-uploads/svannieuwerburgh/papers/DataCenterJEP.pdf) in spending over the next six years.\n\nTo date, the U.S. has over 4,000 data centers, more than any other nation. In Texas, an Oracle AI data center under construction is set to span four million square feet.\n\nWhatever calculations may be at play, Trump’s views are “very sincere,” a source close to the White House said, adding: “And he’s seen the polling.”\n\n## Join our commenting forum\n\nJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies\n\n[Comments](#comments-area)", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-data-center-polling-ai-b3043747.html", "published_at": "2026-09-02 20:33:22+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-02 20:53:18.533308+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-infrastructure", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["Donald Trump", "Gallup", "YouGov", "Politico", "Davis Ingle", "The Independent", "White House"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/trump-has-been-shown-polling-on-voters-hatred-of-data-centers-hes-backing-them.jsonld"}}