Trump and Republicans Continue to Promote Toothless “Solutions” on AI, Data Centers

Poll after poll shows Americans want new regulations and safeguards for data center development

Washington, DC – With just 34 days to the midterms, Trump and Republicans are scrambling to convince voters they actually care about regulating AI and the data centers polluting Americans’ communities and spiking their energy bills. Whether trying to pass the “Ratepayer Protection Act,” that even Republican senators say would accomplish nothing, or signing a “morally binding” pledge for AI and data center companies to police themselves (a totally comforting claim from a group that includes people notorious for ripping off consumers and breaking the law) Trump and his Big Tech billionaire besties aren’t fooling anyone. 

Trump and Republicans can’t hide behind smoke and mirrors, the proof is in the pudding. They have supercharged unregulated AI and data center development, rubber-stamping Big Tech’s requests at every turn. Instead of supporting working Americans and enacting widely popular clean energy and corporate accountability safeguards for AI and data centers, Trump and Republicans are greenlighting development, which conveniently pads their donors’ pockets. 

Climate Power Communications Director Alex Glass issued the following statement: 

“Trump – along with a complicit Republican Congress – has rammed through policies that let Big Tech build polluting, utility bill-raising data centers with zero guardrails. Now, with weeks to go before the midterms, Republicans are headed home to try and convince voters they’ve done something to protect their health and pocketbooks. Coming from a president and party who break their own promises daily, a ‘morally binding’ guardrail on AI isn’t a guarantee — it’s a punchline.”

Trump and Republicans’ solutions are toothless:

• Instead of ensuring Big Tech is held accountable to the law, Trump had tech execs sign a ‘morally binding’ accord to police AI 
• To save face, endangered Ohio Senate incumbent Jon Husted is pushing the ‘Ratepayer Protection Act,’ a bill largely acknowledged as toothless
• Trump’s original ‘Ratepayer Protection Pledge’ has been seen by experts as meaningless and not enforceable
• Trump’s calls for tech companies to build their own power supply would still raise utility bills. 
• Republicans gave tax breaks to Big Tech companies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, helping supercharge their massive data center expansion. 
• The House GOP passed their SPEED Act to fast-track data centers past environmental review and community objections.

• Trump is advocating to ‘let Data reign’ and ramming data centers through without any guardrails