President Trump warned communities resisting data center construction that they risk falling behind in the global artificial intelligence race. In an August 31 Truth Social post, he said towns and cities opposing the facilities would become "backwards and poor." At least 75 data center projects worth approximately $130 billion were stalled or delayed during the first quarter of 2026. Public opposition is widespread: Economist/YouGov polling found 61% of Americans opposed local data center development, while broader surveys put opposition near 70%; 47% of Trump supporters also opposed such projects. Critics cite higher electricity costs, environmental damage, noise and relatively limited permanent employment after construction. New York imposed a statewide moratorium in July 2026, while Texas, under Governor Greg Abbott, paused new hyperscale facility developments entirely. Trump framed data center expansion as a competition with China, arguing that regions accepting the facilities would gain jobs and lower taxes. The debate has intensified around projects such as Meta’s Prometheus facility in Ohio, which is designed for 1 gigawatt of power capacity. Several technology companies have signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, committing to absorb infrastructure costs rather than pass them to residential electricity customers.