Trump says data centers are a 'golden goose' and communities will end up 'poor' without them
President Trump has defended the construction of data centers, labeling them a 'golden goose' for economic growth and warning that opposition will leave communities poor. His stance contrasts with growing public and local political resistance to the facilities.
Why it matters
The tension between the massive energy and land requirements of AI infrastructure and local community opposition is becoming a significant political and economic hurdle.
During a Cabinet meeting in August 2025, President Donald Trump held up an image of Meta's Hyperion Data Center superimposed over Manhattan to showcase its size. Bloomberg/Getty Images President Donald Trump questioned those who oppose data centers. Trump compared the facilities to a "Golden Goose." How has your community reacted to data centers? President Donald Trump had a stern message for data center opponents. In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump portrayed the backlash as a boon to China, a frequent point he makes when discussing what he views as too onerous regulations on AI. "The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor," he wrote. "If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign."
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