As opposition to AI data center construction grows across the U.S., three Republican lawmakers are asking federal officials to investigate whether foreign actors are helping fuel resistance to new data center projects.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-Ohio), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman John Joyce (R-Pa.) have requested a briefing from FBI Director Kash Patel and senior White House technology advisors on what they describe as potential foreign efforts to impede U.S. AI development.
The lawmakers argue that data centers have become strategically important assets in the competition between the U.S. and China. In a letter sent to administration officials, they asked for details on any investigations into foreign influence operations and activist campaigns that may be targeting projects tied to AI infrastructure.
The request supports a growing narrative among some tech investors, administration officials, and Republican lawmakers who contend that adversaries, particularly China, may benefit from slowing U.S. data center construction.
The congressional letter cites reports from Power the Future, a non-profit that advocates for fossil fuels, and from the Bitcoin Policy Institute. Those reports claim foreign-linked organizations, overseas donors, and state-controlled media outlets have contributed to messaging campaigns opposing AI infrastructure development in the U.S.
According to the Bitcoin Policy Institute report, Chinese state media organizations including China Daily and China Global Television Network have published content critical of U.S. AI data center expansion. However, it does not present evidence of direct coordination between the Chinese government and specific U.S. grassroots campaigns opposing data centers.
Bipartisan US Opposition
If indeed foreign interests are fanning resistance to data centers, they are fully aligned with a large swath of the American electorate.
A recent Gallup survey found that 71% of Americans somewhat or strongly oppose construction of data centers in their communities, demonstrating the political challenges facing the industry’s rapid buildout.
Furthermore, the opposition has grown rapidly in just the last six months. According to a poll by Embold Research, in December 2025, just over half of voters opposed a data center being built in their area. By May 2026, that figure had increased to 70%, and strong opposition increased from 36% to 58% during the same period.
Opposition to data center construction is a rare issue that garners bipartisan support, with opposition emerging in both conservative and progressive communities. New York legislators are advancing a temporary pause on certain projects, and Utah officials recently pushed for a major AI campus proposal to be significantly reduced in size.
The National Conference of State Legislatures identifies 14 U.S. states as considering bans on data centers.
Driving the opposition at the local level are residents with concerns about water consumption, electricity demand, environmental impacts, and land use. Additionally, some taxpayers are concerned about the large tax incentives that data centers receive, which a study by Good Jobs First found lose up to 70 cents on every tax dollar exempted.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the allegations, the matter is gaining traction in Washington. The lawmakers have requested a federal briefing by June 18 to better understand whether foreign influence campaigns are attempting to shape public opinion around data centers and AI infrastructure.
