WHAT’S HAPPENING

President Trump fired back Monday at growing opposition to data center development, warning that communities blocking the facilities risk economic decline while handing the advantage to China.

The rebuke comes as polling shows roughly 70 percent of Americans oppose building data centers in their communities, turning the issue into a midterm minefield for Republicans trying to balance Trump's AI agenda against backlash from local constituencies.

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Fred Scott2 months ago

NO, our need for AI data centers is a security issue for the country. Outsiders like China and the Globlists are running psy-ops to indoctrinate Americans to reject AI data centers to their advantage. AI data centers should be built with their own power sources and recycle all water used continuously in-house!

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John Carr2 months ago

Texas’ Gov. Abbott got it right: any business should pay for its own infrastructure. Data centers included. The owners are, or should be, investing their own money expecting to make a profit from providing a service. That’s the way free enterprise works. No “government money” no “tax payers’ money.”

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Mike Tucker2 months ago

The left and the DSA are making data centers a bigger deal than they need to be. Water, electricity, and noise are real concerns, but should be handled locally. They have become a distraction from what is really happening. We MUST beat China in AI. This is not much different than beating Russia in the space race.

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S Lyon2 months ago

The Republicans are handing political power to the Democrats on this issue. Chinese paid social media owns the airwaves on this issue. Pubs MUST recognize legitimate concerns, then show how to solve those issues. The technology exists and is proven. The Pubs stay quiet as they, and the USA, loses control over a transformational moment. Democrats will win, Beijing cheers their ascension to global dominance.

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Mary Verkuilen2 months ago

Is the data centers fight too risky right before the midterms? No, as long as it becomes a requirement for data centers to build their own electric and water infrastructure rather than using community water and electricity. Also, in general, I think that data centers, even if they build their own water and electricity facilities should locate where it rains a lot and water is plentiful, and maybe not concentrate so many data centers in dry and desert areas.

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Rose Walsh2 months ago

It is necessary. we have the technology to reduce the harms, so have the discussion.

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Bonnie Hissom2 months ago

Need to know more about data centers to comment.

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Than Johnson2 months ago

No. It brightens the need for negotiations on pluses and minuses of data centers. Than

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Michael H.2 months ago

If Trump insists on pushing FOR data centers while the bulk of America, both Republicans and Democrats, are against them, he MUST do a massive positive effects campaign to keep the GOP base at the polls. I know many conservatives who will simply not vote if they don't like their choices rather than vote for anyone outside the party. This is almost as bad as voting for the opposition. My advice to Trump and the rest of the GOP candidates is to sing the praises (positives) of data centers and take away focus of the negative.

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James G.2 months ago

Everyone also is forgetting… Trump is right about everything! He always has been. Even if it takes years to confirm.

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Photo Man2 months ago

James = "Trump is right about everything!" = That is an absolutely huge propagandist LIE!!!!!!!!! He does not know how to tell the truth. His decades of being a Democrat easily show through. Gonna make a quick deal to end Russia/Ukriane War. BACKFIRED! Gonna make Iran succumb quickly to a deal and make OBummer deal look really bad. BACKFIRED. Gonna bring down record inflation. BACKFIRED with his continued spending on unnecessary stuff (like the first 2 items & more to follow). Gonna be his normal asinine asshole self Supreme Dictator King Trump to whiplash Canada into submission. BACKFIRED. Gonna lower the price of US Beef by importing tariff and quota free foreign ground beef at the expense of completely betraying the US beef producer. BACKFIRED. Trump indiscriminate use of slapping on tariffs to any country. BACKFIRED.

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Terry McCall2 months ago

Talking it out is good and will help put a stop to the psyops by the Dems and Chinese. The truth will out, but only if it's spoken.

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Douglas Leard2 months ago

No Just consistently and often tell how the problems are easily solvable and how important it is to build data centers.

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Photo Man2 months ago

"Is the data centers fight too risky right before the midterms?" Probably. But Trump is (severely) gasping at straws - anything - to try to gain votes.

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David Hooten2 months ago

No, we need to speak with clarity and outline the considerations needed to consider where to build them and how to address the power, water, and environmental issues. We need to speak the truth about our security needs, the economic advantages to certain communities that come along with the data center builds. However, we don't need them near residential neighborhoods; it devalues the home values. Build them where they don't impact neighborhoods.

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Shannon Mossman2 months ago

I'm good with DATA centers, but not when it is camouflage for bitcoin mining. The two should be mutually exclusive.

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Jim Harmon2 months ago

Regarding the mid-terms, the GOP needs to demonstrate that the Dems are wrong about billionaire-backed imposing data center costs on working families. Dems never have to back up their outrageous claims. However, if republicans aren't careful, they could guarantee losing the congress.

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Sandra Bublis2 months ago

Only the gutless and incompetent Republicans who can’t formulate a reasonable solution to the problems of electricity generation, water recycling or noise reduction and pass legislation to force AI to be responsible for them perceive the future as frightening.

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Jennifer Vaughn2 months ago

We do need more Republicans with courage to have these discussions out loud, and have policies in place to make the AI companies pay for all the infrastructure and build in places that won't impact neighborhoods.

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Bernie Peer2 months ago

I think we should build data centers, but I do not trust AI companies as look what tech has done to technology so far. Technology thinks they are so much smarter than everyone else and they should run the country

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Lorre Jackson2 months ago

I see both sides-pro and con-for data centers and own stock in AI companies as well as in pick and shovel companies necessary to build them. However, what I am strongly opposed to is the building companies' approach to the local and state governments, requiring they sign NDAs and denying citizens from knowing all the facts about how it will impact the community. SpaceX is building a space port on the Louisiana cost in wetlands. It's an area with wildlife, fishing and hunting camps as well as the endangered 100 remaining Rice's whales that live in the Gulf of America/Mexico year round. Whales rely on sonar to navigate. How will the sound of rockets blasting off impact them. Looking further afield, what impact will this have on New Orleans restaurants that are dependent on local seafood resources?

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James G.2 months ago

If not this topic it would just be something else. This pattern is nothing new. Before every midterm, or any type of voting anywhere, there’s always some controversy. Some type of flashpoint. Some type of dissension. Blah blah blah.

And everybody seems to forget about the elephant in the room.… Ask AI for a solution to these issues! AI is being used in physics with NASA, in the medical industry, construction and websites, etc.

So let’s ask AI for a solution for cooling itself, for noise pollution, for aesthetics, and any other issue to quell the radicals from blowing this out of proportion.

I use AI. You use AI. Everyone uses AI. We need data centers….Period

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Dennis Horak2 months ago

Yes, AI will be our best way to stay ahead of China. However, I agree that it's to close to the mid-term elections. Wait until afterwards. Then allow for discussion and let the facts and studies to speak for themselves and lead to a best decision. Also, let the Data centers pay for their own infrastructure. Why bleed everyone else.

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Lorre Jackson2 months ago

James, I like ice cream, you like ice cream, we all like ice cream but do we ask ice cream if we should like it? Do you REALLY trust AI to answer you without bias? Look at the story about the agents that broke out and hacked other companies. Take off the blinders. There's politics in everything. Both parties will use AI to their advantage. So will the Climate Control advocates and so on, etc.

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Gail Baxley2 months ago

No. Someone has to stand their ground for what is best for the country. This reminds me of the liberal fight in my state on nuclear power. Convincing everyone it was so bad for everyone. Now we know it was not. All of this almost bankrupt the power company and shutdown a nuclear plant that millions had been spent to build.

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Jim Powers 2 months ago

It would be too risky if you’re a wishy washy politician, but not for Trump!

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Dani Shipp2 months ago

“Do the right thing for the right reason”

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Lawrence Dill2 months ago

The Data Center fight is much to do about nothing. Upwards own poll a week or so back gave the real affects of data centers and they're good for the community. So, do we wonder who's paying for the antifighting? maybe it's the one Trump said couldn't be happier.

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Joseph Michelotti2 months ago

It will force the candidates to sharpen their message and position in this. President Trump loves candidates with strong beliefs and conviction so this is not surprising.

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Tracey Powers 2 months ago

No, but President Trump and the GOP need to expose the Chinese propaganda that is trying to paint data centers as bad. Regulation to make the data centers pay for their water and electricity? YES! Address the noise "problem" China has successfully propagandized? YES! Give us real answers, and quick!