President Donald Trump urged data center developers on Wednesday to pay host communities a "dividend," as AI-driven projects draw opposition from voters across the political spectrum.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said projects that were highly unpopular in some areas became "extremely popular" once a financial deal was struck.

“If companies want to make their Data Centers popular, pay the community, and/or individuals within the community, a "dividend." I have watched the process closely, and Data Centers that were highly unpopular in a certain area, have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck,” Trump wrote.

Trump first floated the idea in late September, saying residents could receive dividends or teacher bonuses. "Now people are going to benefit directly," he said.

Backlash crosses party lines

Data centers powering artificial intelligence (AI) have become a political flashpoint nationwide. Opposition now unites voters across ideological lines.

A September Fox News survey found 71% of registered voters oppose building an AI-related data center in their area. Data centers have become a key issue for Republicans.

Trump says on-site power can lower bills

Trump has previously also argued data centers can ease electricity costs. He said new facilities must generate their own power, which he argued could lower prices.

U.S. tech companies’ data center lease commitments topped $850 billion in the first quarter. Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) led at about $250 billion, followed by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) at about $197 billion and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) at about $183 billion.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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