President Donald Trump on Tuesday outlined plans to encourage the construction of data centers in the United States, warning that the country risks losing economic benefits if facilities are built abroad. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump emphasized the potential financial gains for communities hosting these centers and suggested residents could receive direct payments.
Trump calls for U.S. data center growth
During a meeting with technology company representatives, Trump stated that data centers under construction in countries like Finland could generate significant economic advantages for those nations. He framed the issue as a competitive challenge for the U.S., asserting that American communities should capture these benefits instead. "Frankly, I want them built in America," Trump said. "If we’re not smart, they'll end up building data centers in other countries, and those other countries will make a fortune, and we won’t."
Proposed community benefits include direct payments
Trump introduced the idea of a "dividend" for residents in areas where data centers operate, suggesting payments could be directed to teachers, local residents, or other community members. "The people are going to benefit directly, whether it's teachers that get paid a bonus, whether it's people that live in the community that get paid a dividend," he said. The president did not specify funding mechanisms or eligibility criteria for such payments.
State and federal responses reflect differing priorities
New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s office responded to Trump’s remarks by posting images of industrial buildings on social media, stating, "These are the data centers Donald Trump wants you to think are beautiful." The post appeared to challenge Trump’s characterization of data centers as beneficial infrastructure. Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) argued that companies—not residents—should cover the costs associated with data centers, aligning with a pledge Trump made in March to protect ratepayers.
Policy and political context
Trump’s comments follow a broader push by his administration to expand U.S. artificial intelligence capabilities, including oversight measures for advanced AI systems discussed during the meeting. The president has previously used the term "super intelligence" to describe AI, calling it a "fake word" in Tuesday’s remarks. The White House did not provide additional details on the proposed dividend system when contacted by reporters.
Ongoing debate over AI infrastructure benefits
The discussion around data center dividends echoes proposals from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon suggested modeling payments after Alaska’s oil pipeline dividends, while Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a federally managed "AI sovereign wealth fund" to distribute benefits. These ideas reflect competing visions for how economic gains from AI infrastructure should be shared.