• Donald Trump has urged US communities to accept data centres, arguing that rejecting them means giving up investment, jobs and tax revenue
  • State and local authorities are tightening project reviews as electricity costs, land use and community impact become more contentious

The fact

US President Donald Trump has publicly backed continued data-centre construction in the United States. In a Truth Social post at the end of August, Trump said communities that reject data centres risk becoming "backwards and poor" and described the industry as a "Golden Goose" for jobs, investment and tax revenue.

Fortune reported that investment in AI-related computing infrastructure accounted for roughly 1.4% of US GDP in the first quarter of 2026, about twice its share a year earlier. A July Public First poll for POLITICO found that 41% of respondents would oppose a data centre within three miles of their home, while 24% would support one. Opposition was higher than in a January poll, when 28% opposed a nearby project and 37% supported one.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order in August removing AI data centres from the state's fast-track permitting programme. New proposals must receive local approval and make binding commitments covering energy affordability, environmental protection, workforce development and community engagement.

The assessment

Trump's support gives the industry a strong advocate at federal level, but it does not decide whether an individual campus gets built. Data-centre developers still depend on local planning decisions, state permits, utility agreements and, in some cases, public incentives. Opposition at any of those points can change a project's timetable or the terms under which it proceeds.

The tension is partly about where the benefits and costs appear. Investment in servers, buildings and power infrastructure can support national economic growth, while residents experience a project through local electricity prices, construction, land use, water demand and the taxes or incentives agreed with the developer. Those two views can exist at the same time, which helps explain why politicians who support AI investment nationally may still demand tighter conditions on projects in their own states or districts.

For BTW readers, local approval is becoming something developers need to settle early, alongside land and power. A site with available acreage and a possible grid connection may still be difficult to build if the developer cannot reach an acceptable agreement with the utility, local government and surrounding community.

What to watch

Watch state permitting rules, local zoning votes, and utility filings for large data-centre loads. Dedicated electricity tariffs, requirements for developers to fund grid upgrades and formal community-benefit agreements would show how political opposition is changing project economics. Delays or redesigns at otherwise viable sites would provide a clearer measure than campaign rhetoric alone.