House Republican Tim Burchett of Tennessee on Monday pushed back against President Trump's characterization of communities that resist data center development, saying the president's rhetoric misses the point about local concerns.
"I guess I'm backwards and poor," Burchett told MeidasTouch's Pablo Manríquez on the Capitol steps, responding to Trump's Truth Social post that suggested opponents of data centers "want to end up being backwards and poor."
The Tennessee Republican argued that data centers could be located on military installations instead of in residential areas, and he stressed the need for greater local control over siting decisions. "We need more local control. We should have brought everybody to the table," he added.
Trump's post on Monday urged Americans to welcome the projects, writing, "The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them. If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame." He also claimed that "China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement."
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) echoed that sentiment on Tuesday, telling Fox News that the GOP is "investigating whether China is behind a lot of this misinformation, false information against data centers." He framed the issue as part of a broader competition with Beijing.
But the pushback isn't limited to Democrats. A Fox News poll from last month found that 70 percent of respondents oppose having a data center built in their area, including 60 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats. Critics point to environmental impacts and strains on local infrastructure.
Some Republican governors have also stepped in. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who had earlier touted his state as the "epicenter of AI development," recently placed a moratorium on new data center construction due to concerns about water usage and the power grid. In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Abbott defended the reversal, saying the companies "basically dug their own grave" by not collaborating with state and local officials.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a frequent critic of the administration, accused data center companies of being "insensitive" in their placement decisions. "I don't think you should let data reign without any kind of regulation at the local level," he told Fox News. "You definitely need to let local people decide these things."
The clash highlights a growing rift within the GOP over how to balance economic development with community concerns. While some leaders, like Scalise, see data centers as vital to competing with China, others like Burchett and Massie are pushing for more local input and safeguards.
As the debate continues, the administration's stance remains firm, but the political fallout may complicate efforts to fast-track these projects across the country.
