Trump urges data centres to pay communities to gain support

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 08:44 · Archive

President Trump has suggested technology companies should pay communities hosting AI data centres to overcome public opposition.

President Trump has urged data centre companies to strike financial deals with local communities to build support for the costly facilities. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump suggested operators should pay communities 'and/or individuals within the community, a dividend'. He said data centres that were unpopular in certain areas have become extremely popular once financial deals were struck.

Public opposition to data centre expansion is growing significantly. A new poll found that 53 per cent of Americans are extremely or very concerned about AI's environmental impact, up from 41 per cent last year. Roughly six in 10 Americans support restrictions on new data centre construction. Concerns centre on electricity consumption and water supplies, particularly as developers increasingly target rural communities.

Trump, whose administration has championed rapid AI expansion to compete with China, has also reiterated his previous demand that technology companies build dedicated power plants to generate their own electricity and supply surplus to local communities or the power grid. Data centre stocks have come under pressure as companies increasingly turn to debt markets to finance the costly buildout of AI infrastructure.

How it is being reported

• Trump wants tech giants to pay Americans to accept massive AI data centers as public backlash growsWriting on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump said developers could win over skeptical residents by sharing the facilities' financial benefitsIndependent World · 21 Oct, 08:26
• 'MAKE DEALS': Trump says data centers should pay communities a 'dividend' to win supportTrump says data centers should consider community "dividends" as AI financing worries grow.CNBC · 21 Oct, 07:52

In this story: Donald Trump · HSBC · China · United States · Massachusetts

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