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Trump demands data centers make their own power, pay community ‘dividends'
2026-10-21
From the Fox News liveblog.
President Donald Trump said early Wednesday morning that large data centers should generate their own electricity and provide financial benefits to the communities where they are built.

“New and large, in some cases gigantic, Data Centers are mandated by me to make their own electricity,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

He said facilities should sell or return excess power to local communities or the electric grid, potentially lowering electricity prices.

Trump also urged technology companies to offer residents a “dividend” to build support for data center projects, which have faced opposition over their substantial power and water demands.

“MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!! GREAT FOR THE U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.

The president said the administration’s policy is intended to prevent consumers from absorbing the cost of powering the AI industry.

The comments follow similar proposals from Anthropic and Elon Musk to distribute some of the financial gains from artificial intelligence to the public.

WHAT TO KNOW
  • President Donald Trump issued a new White House call for data centers to make their own power, pay community "dividends," as polls show midterm voters leaning toward Democrats on AI regulatory actions.

  • Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei defended his safety protocols and hailed his restricting AI sales to Chinese state-controlled companies, calling it a costly but necessary decision.

  • Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed proposed government ownership of roughly half the AI industry, prompting Republican rival Mike Rogers to warn against a “big government” agenda.

  • The New York Times/Siena poll found likely voters trust Democrats over Republicans on artificial intelligence, 48% to 37%, as the midterms approach.




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Posted by: Skidmark   2026-10-21 20:52  

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Posted by: Lord Garth   2026-10-21 20:26  

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Posted by: ed in texas   2026-10-21 13:05  

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