Trump Adviser’s Claim That Data Centers Boost Towns Sparks Backlash

Hassett argued that placing data centers in "sleepy" towns would revitalize local economies by attracting high-income workers who would bolster the housing market and general commerce. However, critics were quick to dismiss the narrative as disconnected from the reality of how these facilities operate. Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, labeled the comments a "Potemkin Village Imaginarium," while legal scholar Jeffrey Vagle challenged the premise of job creation. Vagle noted that data centers are highly automated, requiring minimal staff and zero executive presence, rendering the promise of a influx of high-salaried residents statistically improbable.

Public sentiment appears firmly aligned against the administration's stance. A March Gallup poll indicated that 71% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers in their vicinity, citing anxieties over strained water and electricity supplies, noise pollution, and diminished quality of life. Political observers, including former Senate candidate Glenn Elliott, suggested that Hassett’s rhetoric reveals a fundamental disconnect between the current administration and the rural voters who supported their rise to power.