A new survey found likely voters are skeptical of large data centers being built locally, even as the Trump administration pushes to expand AI infrastructure.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A majority of likely U.S. voters oppose building large data centers in their own communities, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, underscoring a local backlash to infrastructure needed for the nation’s expanding artificial intelligence industry.
The survey found that 52% of likely voters would oppose a proposal to build a data center where they live. That includes 35% who said they would strongly oppose such a project.
Support was lower, with 39% saying they would favor a data center in their community. Only 15% said they would strongly support one.
The results come as President Donald Trump has made artificial intelligence development a major priority of his second administration. Trump has signed executive orders aimed at accelerating permits for data centers and other AI infrastructure as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S. leadership in the technology and compete with China.
The White House has argued that expanding AI infrastructure is important for national security, economic growth and America’s global technological position.
Despite that push, the poll suggests many voters want decisions about data center construction to remain local.
Rasmussen found that 51% of likely voters said state and local governments should decide whether data centers are built, while 37% said Congress should pass national legislation regulating construction of the facilities. Another 12% were undecided.
Data center demand has climbed rapidly as artificial intelligence systems require enormous computing power. Supporters say the facilities are essential to powering future AI development and maintaining U.S. dominance in emerging technology.
Critics, including environmental activists and some local residents, have raised concerns about the electricity and water demands of large data centers.
Republicans were the most likely political group to support a data center in their community, though even among Republicans, support did not reach a majority. Forty-eight percent of Republican voters said they would support one locally.
Support was lower among Democrats, at 36%, and independents, at 32%.
Opposition crossed party lines. Fifty-five percent of Democrats, 59% of independents and 44% of Republicans said they would oppose a local data center.
The survey also found ideological differences over whether Washington should regulate the industry. Half of self-identified liberal voters favored congressional regulation of data center construction. By contrast, 56% of conservatives and 55% of moderates said those decisions should be left to state and local governments.
Gender differences also appeared in the poll. Men were more likely than women to support a data center in their community, 44% to 34%. Men also showed greater support for federal regulation.
Older voters were the most resistant to local data center development. Voters 50 and older were more likely than younger voters to oppose construction in their communities, while voters under 30 were the most likely to favor national legislation governing the industry.
Racial differences were also evident. Fifty-seven percent of white voters said they opposed having a data center built locally, compared with 40% of Black voters, 38% of Hispanic voters and 60% of voters in other minority groups.
Black voters were the group most likely to support congressional regulation of data center construction.
Retirees were among the strongest opponents of local data centers, with 59% saying they would oppose such a project. Opposition was 55% among private-sector workers and 49% among government employees.
The poll was conducted June 21-23 among 1,129 likely U.S. voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The findings show the Trump administration’s AI infrastructure agenda may face resistance not only from activists but also from voters who support technological growth in principle while opposing large data centers near their own homes.
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