- Republican group will organize a national day of protest against data centers
- Humans First Aims to Give Grassroots Americans a Voice in Data Center-Related Policies
- Growing opposition is bipartisan, but driving a wedge between Trump and Republicans
American conservatives are organizing a national protest against what they describe as “the unchecked and unwanted expansion of AI data centers.”
Exclusive axios Reports claim that the Republican-aligned group Humans First is looking to organize rallies in 13 locations in Georgia, California, Texas, Florida and Virginia.
The group says the protests will offer “grassroots Americans, particularly grassroots conservatives, a voice in the critical debate over policies related to building massive AI data centers.”
Tea Party to protest data center expansion
Human First is chaired by Amy Kremer, a prominent member of the 2009 Tea Party movement, a supporter of Donald Trump, and a key figure in the group that organized the January 6 ‘Stop the Steal’ rally that culminated in the attack on the US Capitol building by Trump supporters.
“I was an early leader of the Tea Party movement in 2009,” Kremer said in a statement, “and I can tell you that the disconnect between the elites and the grassroots that gave rise to the Tea Party movement can be seen today in the battle over AI data centers.”
Discontent over the rapid growth in data center construction, fueled by demand for AI, has been growing in the United States, with many grassroots movements successfully delaying and canceling more than $130 billion worth of construction.
Many of the local groups opposing data centers have been bipartisan and largely working class, with other notable efforts coming from both Democratic and Republican representatives.
“In the spirit of the Tea Party, we announce a National Day of Protest against the unbridled and unwanted expansion of AI data centers and the dangerous AI systems built in them, to be held on Saturday, July 18,” Kremer said.
Humans First said in a statement to axios The protests are open to anyone who wants to oppose data centers, but the group primarily focused on mobilizing conservative Americans.
What happened to the Chinese psychological operation?
In early June, several high-ranking Republican officials backed by fossil fuel and cryptocurrency advocacy groups sent an open letter asking FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate evidence that opposition to data centers was being fueled by “foreign influence campaigns targeting the development of artificial intelligence in the United States.”
Evidence provided in the letter pointed the finger at China, claiming that Chinese propaganda was being funneled to the “environmental left” to help “hijack MAGA” to pass legislation opposing the construction of data centers.
OpenAI later revealed that it had removed several accounts associated with social media influence campaigns organized by China, but claimed that these campaigns had failed to gain traction.
The wave of Republican opposition to data centers is likely to cause a rift in President Trump’s support base, as many support the president himself and his planned increase in fossil fuel energy production, but oppose the rapid expansion of data centers and growing negative sentiment around AI.
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