President Donald Trump urged data center developers Wednesday to pay host communities or residents, as polling shows widespread discomfort with nearby projects and concern about household electricity costs.
In a Truth Social post, Trump suggested a “dividend” for communities, individual residents or both. He said financial agreements had changed local views of data centers, but identified no project or deal. He gave no payment amount, eligibility rules, funding method or timetable.
A Pew Research Center survey conducted July 20-Aug. 9 found that 60% of U.S. adults would be uncomfortable with a new data center in their area. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning respondents, the figure was 54%; among Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents, it was 68%.
Half of those surveyed said data centers were mostly bad for home energy costs. That finding reflects respondents’ views, rather than a measured change in electricity bills from any particular project.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimated that data centers accounted for 4.4% of U.S. electricity consumption in 2023. A report it released in 2024 projected that their share could reach 6.7% to 12% by 2028.
The White House’s March 4 Ratepayer Protection Pledge calls on participating companies to secure the electricity their facilities require and cover associated infrastructure costs. It also calls for local hiring and training. Its published commitments do not specify payments to residents.
Trump said he had required large new data centers to generate their own electricity. The published pledge instead gives participating companies the choice to “build, bring or buy” new power. It says they will voluntarily negotiate separate rates with utilities and relevant state governments.
