US Data Center Boom Sparks Local Backlash Ahead of Midterms

AI data center construction has become a major point of political conflict in the US ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with local communities opposing the burden of AI infrastructure costs while benefits concentrate among tech elites. President Donald Trump frames AI development as a critical geopolitical competition with China, calling data centers "the oil of the next 50 years" and dismissing AI risks as hoaxes. Former President Barack Obama is urging Democrats to push for stronger AI and data center regulation. The disputes extend beyond facility siting to fundamental questions about how fast AI should advance, how much government should regulate it, and who should bear the costs versus reap the economic rewards of the AI revolution.