Trump urges data centers to pay 'dividends' to locals to foster good will

President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged companies seeking to build data centers to make financial agreements with the local communities to provide residents with dividends as a means to overcome negative public sentiment.

Data centers are effectively warehouses full of hard storage devices. Their construction has attracted pushback over their perceived environmental risks and potential to raise energy costs.

"As the President of the United States, I have been watching Data Centers very closely, and have come to a very strong conclusion," he posted on Truth Social. "New and large, in some cases gigantic, Data Centers are mandated by me to make their own electricity, and give or sell any excess back to the local community, or grid, and therefore there is electric price increase."

"In fact, there could be a substantial decrease. Other elements likewise! If companies want to make their Data Centers popular, pay the community, and/or individuals within the community, a 'dividend,'" he suggested. "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. MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!!"

In March of this year, Trump secured voluntary commitments from the major builders of data centers to ensure that their construction does not increase energy costs for local residents.

Data centers often use their own energy sources, including gas-powered generators, to produce the large amounts of electricity needed to keep them running. 

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.