President Donald Trump is supporting the rapid expansion of AI data centers as voter opposition prompts leaders across party lines to call for tighter controls on the massive facilities.

Trump said communities that reject data center projects are “making a mistake,” arguing that the facilities can generate jobs and tax revenue. Speaking in an interview with his former lawyer Michael Cohen that aired Sunday, Trump also said the US holds a substantial lead over China in AI.

Additionally, Trump said data centers are building their own power plants rather than drawing electricity from the grid, which he referred to as “tired.” However, while some projects are developing dedicated power generation, most data centers continue to rely on regional electric grids.

The Trump administration has made AI infrastructure a national priority, but the data center buildout is creating a political problem that crosses party lines. Local concerns include electricity prices, demands on power grids, water consumption and the scale of new construction.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has emerged as a prominent critic of how the AI industry has handled its expansion. Abbott said AI companies deserve much of the backlash because they failed to work effectively with state and local communities.

Earlier this month, Abbott ordered an audit of data centers seeking connections to the Texas grid, halting approvals while regulators review projects. The audit is a major change for a governor who last year promoted Texas as a top location for AI development while announcing a $40 billion Google investment in three data center campuses.

Other states are applying restrictions of their own. New York has imposed a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, while Pennsylvania has placed additional conditions on data center projects.

Polling indicates the political challenge facing data center developers. An Annenberg Public Policy Center survey released this month found 61% of Americans oppose construction of a data center near them, compared with 49% in March. Opposition included 69% of Democrats, 54% of Republicans and 53% of independents.

A Fox News poll released in July found even stronger resistance, with 70% of voters opposing a local AI data center and 78% supporting slower development to address environmental and community concerns.

The issue may affect congressional campaigns. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has warned that voter anger over data centers could damage Republican candidates, pointing specifically to the Ohio Senate contest. Candidates from both parties have supported pauses or additional requirements for projects as the 2026 midterms approach.

A central question is who will pay for the enormous amount of electricity infrastructure required by AI. Under the administration’s voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge, participating tech companies agree to cover the cost of power-delivery infrastructure needed by their data centers instead of shifting those costs to residential customers. More than 100 companies, including Meta, Amazon and Google, have joined the initiative.

EPA Eases Rules for Data Center Power Generation

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has joined Trump in arguing against broad data center bans. Zeldin said in a Sunday radio interview that states should address legitimate questions about electricity and water consumption without blocking the infrastructure required for US AI development.

Zeldin called for data center projects to contribute power rather than simply consume electricity from the grid. He also urged developers to rely on recycled water or technologies that reduce water requirements.

The Trump administration has loosened some environmental requirements to support this strategy. EPA guidance issued last month said certain power plants operating independently of the public grid are not covered by the Clean Air Act’s Acid Rain Program