Trump's data center push splits MAGA base ahead of midterms

September 20, 2026 at 03:52 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Donald Trump's defense of AI data centers is alienating a core MAGA constituency, with 47 percent of Republicans opposing data center construction in a New York Times poll. GOP strategist Tony Fabrizio warned candidates that unqualified support for building more AI data centers is a losing position. Trump has doubled down on his support, posting that only communities wanting to be 'backwards and poor' would refuse data centers.

Key Facts

More than 60 percent of Americans, including 47 percent of Republicans, oppose data center construction, according to a New York Times poll released last week.
GOP strategist Tony Fabrizio issued a memo to party candidates claiming that 'unqualified support for building more AI data centers is a losing position.'
In late August, Trump wrote on Truth Social that only communities wanting to be 'backwards and poor' would refuse data centers coming to town.
An analysis by The New York Times found anti-data-center and anti-AI comments on Trump's Truth Social posts outnumbered positive comments by four to one.

Grassroots Opposition

Molly McCann Sanders, president of the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, says she loves Trump but thinks he is wrong about data centers. Sanders describes herself as a 'crunchy MAHA mom' and says she is alarmed by the idea that data centers can move in and pollute. She sees the GOP's effort to court the 'laptop class' at the Republican midterm convention as a huge misstep with midterms nearing.

Party Warnings

In August, the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent a private memo to AI companies warning that campaign or party committees cannot fix the toxic brand of an entire segment of the economy. Last week, GOP strategist Tony Fabrizio issued a memo to the party's candidates claiming that unqualified support for building more AI data centers is a losing position. Trump has doubled down on his defense of data centers and AI, writing in late August that only communities wanting to be 'backwards and poor' would refuse data centers.