Trump's AI Data Center Plan Sparks Backlash from Supporters

A Community Rises Against Data Center Expansion

Residents of Montour County, Pennsylvania, gathered in a rural planning commission meeting, wearing camouflage hats and red shirts to show their unity. Over 300 people attended the event, expressing their concerns about a proposed data center that they believe would disrupt their farmland and the peaceful life of their valley. Most of these residents are loyal supporters of President Donald Trump, who won the 2024 election in Montour County by 20 percentage points. However, they are not pleased with Washington’s push to fast-track artificial intelligence infrastructure, which has led to increased data-center growth in rural areas across the U.S., where land is more affordable.

On a recent November evening, residents from this county of 18,000 people took the microphone to question Talen Energy officials about the potential impacts of their planned data center on utility bills, farmland, and local water and natural resources. One of the most striking moments came when two women sang a modified version of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," saying, "Say no to rezoning, so water keeps flowing and crops keep growing."

Political leaders across the U.S. are pushing for rapid expansion of data-center capacity and new power production to maintain the country's competitiveness in AI. President Trump, a Republican, is promoting this build-out as an economic and national security priority and has directed his administration to bypass environmental rules and permitting that allow local communities a voice. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and Republican Senator Dave McCormick are offering incentives and infrastructure upgrades to attract investment in this fast-growing industry.

While some communities welcome the economic benefits, the backlash in Montour County highlights a growing coalition of farmers, environmentalists, and homeowners who have come together across partisan lines to resist data-center expansion. A report by Data Center Watch earlier this year revealed that approximately $64 billion worth of data center projects have been blocked or delayed due to local pushback in states like Texas, Oregon, and Tennessee. Critics in Pennsylvania fear that their region could become similar to northern Virginia’s “data center alley,” known for its vast, sprawling complexes.

If successful, the pushback could slow efforts by the administration and the tech industry to build AI infrastructure at a pace that keeps up with global rivals. Political strategists suggest that anger over these projects could add to the challenges Republicans face as they deal with affordability concerns heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

“It’s an issue that can be exploited by whoever’s out of power,” said Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He added that the politics of AI infrastructure remain unsettled: “The industry’s still evolving, and politicians are figuring out where to stand. It’s like social media — everyone rushed in before understanding the consequences.”

Preserving Local Culture

Talen Energy is seeking to rezone roughly 1,300 acres in Montour County from agricultural to industrial use, the first step toward building a large data center that would include 12 to 15 buildings. The site would be located near the company's 1,528-megawatt natural-gas-fired power plant, surrounded by farmland and dirt roads used heavily by the region’s Amish community.

Talen Energy has stated that the project would take 350 acres of farmland supporting soybeans, corn, and livestock. Residents worry that losing this land would weaken the local farm economy, including a nearby plant that processes soybeans for regional food and feed. Montour County Commissioner Rebecca Dressler, a Republican, noted that the concerns are less about ideology and more about preserving the region’s character. “Small-town character defines our community,” Dressler said. “People aren’t anti-development - they just want growth that fits who we are.”

At a recent November meeting, the county planning commission recommended against approving the rezoning by a 6-1 vote, which drew thunderous applause. The issue now moves to Dressler and the other two county commissioners for a final decision in mid-December.

Rather than blaming Trump, residents are directing their frustration toward the billion-dollar companies behind the data-center boom, which they claim have the money to snap up farmland, reshape rural landscapes, and leave locals to bear the higher utility costs. “I think it’s a society that has forgotten about the small person - the people who live here, the farmers who are struggling with the economy,” said Theresa McCollum, a 70-year-old Trump supporter. In a place that values local control, the shift in power to Washington does not sit well.

“Stay out. We wouldn’t even be having this conversation without federal involvement,” said Craig High, 39, also a Trump supporter. “Both (political) parties are pushing data centers and giving regulatory relief — water permits, permitting, all of it.”

Pennsylvania's Data Center Boom

Pennsylvania's abundant and stable electricity has made it a hot spot for data centers, attracting tens of billions in investments from major companies such as Amazon.com, Alphabet's Google, and Microsoft. Even Constellation Energy is eyeing the old Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to power new server farms.

However, residents fear they may end up paying for it. Pennsylvania utilities project a sharp rise in electricity demand from data centers by the end of the decade — enough to power several million additional homes, according to data from PJM Interconnection, the region’s grid operator.

Electricity prices in Pennsylvania have increased by about 15% in the past year — roughly double the national average, according to federal data. This surge is already affecting the regional grid. Capacity prices, which help determine what power plants are paid to ensure supply during peak demand, have spiked in recent auctions, and utilities have begun raising rates to cover growing infrastructure needs.

Analysts warn that customers' bills could climb significantly in the years ahead. For many families, the strain is already visible. Overdue utility balances have risen far faster than inflation since 2022, and Pennsylvania ranks among the states with the highest levels of household energy debt, according to the Century Foundation, a progressive research organization.

These pocketbook pressures are starting to reshape politics in some parts of the United States. Earlier this year, Alicia Johnson became one of two Democrats elected to Georgia’s utility board since 2007 after her campaign highlighted frustration over rising power bills and unchecked growth of data centers. She said the issues in her campaign were a preview of what states like Pennsylvania may face in next year's U.S. midterm elections.

Power prices have surged in Georgia in recent years, in large part because of massive cost overruns at the new Vogtle nuclear plant. “Data centers and utility costs were the top two issues on the ballot, and people are angry,” Johnson said. “They don’t want data centers without guardrails, and they don’t want to be the ones paying for them. This is going to be part of the national affordability debate in 2026."

Ginny Marcille-Kerslake, an organizer with Food and Water Watch, an environmental nonprofit group, has spent months mobilizing opposition to data centers in places like Montour County. She predicted a political reckoning next year.

"Communities - red, blue, and everything in between - are united in opposition," she said, referring to so-called red areas dominated by Republicans and blue areas controlled by Democrats. "At a time when we’re so divided, this issue is bringing people together."