Donald Trump has lashed out at communities across the US resisting new data centres, warning they could become “backwards and poor” if they block one of his administration’s key economic priorities. The president renewed his push for rapid data-centre construction on Monday, arguing the projects would bring jobs, investment and lower taxes despite growing public opposition. Trump turns up the heat on opponents Trump said communities should only reject data centres if they were prepared to accept economic decline. He argued that areas embracing the projects could become “successful and rich”, with jobs “all over the place”. He also warned that there were plenty of other communities willing to host the facilities. “If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The White House is pushing ahead Trump signed an executive order in July 2025 designed to accelerate federal permitting for data-centre infrastructure. Construction has since surged, with data-centre projects starting across the country at a rapid pace. The expansion is being driven by soaring demand for computing infrastructure, including the technology required to power artificial intelligence. But the administration’s aggressive push is increasingly colliding with resistance at local level. Three quarters oppose a local data centre A recent Embold Research poll cited by Heatmap found that 75 per cent of Americans opposed a new data centre being built in their own community. Concerns surrounding projects have included their demands for electricity, water and land, as well as their impact on local infrastructure and the environment. Trump nevertheless framed the backlash as a strategic threat, claiming China would welcome what he called the “anti Data Center movement”. His message was blunt: communities can either embrace the data-centre boom or risk watching investment move elsewhere. Trump rages that angry towns defying his key priority will wind up 'backwards and poor'
