It’s Donald Trump Versus MAGA on Data Centers

Molly Taft· Sep 20, 2026 · 10:30 AM UTC ·5 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 4 views

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TL;DR · WeSearch summary

Donald Trump has intensified his support for AI data centers, creating a significant rift with his MAGA base which largely opposes their construction. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Americans, including nearly half of Republicans, are against new data center projects, prompting internal GOP warnings about the political risks of pro-tech stances. Despite these concerns, Trump continues to frame opposition to data centers as a choice for backwardness, driven by fears of losing the technological race to China.

Key facts

▪A New York Times poll found that over 60 percent of Americans and 47 percent of Republicans oppose the construction of data centers.
▪Trump posted on Truth Social that communities refusing data centers are choosing to be 'backwards and poor,' which drew significant backlash from MAGA supporters.
▪An analysis of Truth Social responses showed that anti-data-center comments from MAGA accounts outnumbered positive ones by a four-to-one ratio.
▪The National Republican Senatorial Committee issued a memo warning that the 'toxic brand' of the data center industry cannot be fixed by campaign committees.
▪White House allies argue that restricting data center development limits compute power and causes the US to lose to China in the AI race.

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Canonical URL	https://www.wired.com/story/donald-trump-versus-maga-on-data-centers/
Publication time	Sun, 20 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-09-20T10:33:46.479Z
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Molly TaftPoliticsSep 20, 2026 6:30 AMIt’s Donald Trump Versus MAGA on Data CentersThe president has doubled down on data centers and AI. His base is running in the opposite direction.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyWelcome back to Power Play! Each week, senior writer Molly Taft tackles a topic around this midterm season’s biggest issue: data centers. If you’ve got a question or thought for the column, feel free to shoot Molly an email at [email protected] or reach them securely on Signal at mollytaft.76.Molly McCann Sanders has a lot in common with many of the other women who helped Donald Trump win a second term as president.

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