President Donald Trump defended the U.S. data-center boom, saying communities that reject artificial-intelligence infrastructure are "making a mistake" because the projects can create jobs, investment and tax revenue. His comments came as opposition expands across party lines, with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott calling for stronger oversight and a temporary halt to approvals, New York imposing a moratorium on large new projects, and polling showing broad public resistance. The issue has also entered the 2026 midterm debate, with a Republican Senate campaign memo warning that backlash over data centers could hurt incumbent Republican Sen. John Husted in Ohio. Trump has said the facilities generate "tremendous amounts of jobs and money," that the U.S. leads China in AI "by a lot," and that operators are building their own power plants, although many facilities remain dependent on regional grids.