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AI · Data Centers · Geopolitics · Infrastructure
Kevin O’Leary and the Trump administration claim a Chinese propaganda campaign fuels anti-data center sentiments across the US, despite denials from named advocacy groups and widespread local opposition to such projects.
O’Leary, whose 40,000-acre data center near Salt Lake City faces protests, stated in a Monday video that "nefarious accounts out of the country" tied to China spread misinformation. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum agreed on Fox Business, calling it "another attack on the US." O’Leary cited "90 pages of evidence" indicating "millions, hundreds of millions of dollars" funded these campaigns.
Three reports from tech and Trump-aligned think tanks, including the Bitcoin Policy Institute, Power the Future, and the American Energy Institute, drew similar conclusions. However, the Wyss Foundation and Code Pink, named in these reports, denied involvement, calling claims "false, misleading, and defamatory." Alliance for a Better Utah called the allegations "laughable." A 2026 Gallup survey shows 70% of Americans oppose data center developments, fearing increased water/power costs, real estate devaluation, and health impacts.
