Kathmandu— Despite bipartisan pushback against the establishment of data centers in the United States, President Donald Trump has urged communities across the country to embrace these tech facilities. In a social media post, Trump emphasized that opposition to data centers would make communities “backwards and poor,” while supporting them would bring jobs and economic success.

Environmental Concerns

Data centers consume significant amounts of electricity and water, raising concerns about their impact on the power grid and local water resources. Environmental activists have expressed alarm over the potential for increased utility bills and drought conditions due to the high water usage required to cool servers.

Public Opinion

A Gallup poll conducted in March indicated that 71 percent of Americans oppose establishing AI data centers in their areas. This opposition spans both Republican and Democratic voters, with some pro-business Republicans also expressing reservations about the facilities.

Political Stances

Republican US Senate candidate Mike Rogers has proposed a one-year pause on data centers in Michigan, while his Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed calls for an indefinite pause until federal regulations are established to ensure union jobs and protect water resources. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged some concerns but suggested that tech firms should establish power stations to support the facilities.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.