Republicans are divided after President Donald Trump said Americans who oppose building data centers in their communities would end up “backwards and poor.”

“The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor. If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them. If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame.”

The debate over data centers for artificial intelligence has become a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections, with the construction of such facilities garnering vocal bipartisan opposition.

A recent Gallup poll found that seven in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers in their local area. Those who opposed data centers cited a slew of concerns, including the demand for resources like water and power, impact on property values, increased energy costs and pollution.

Trump’s post on Truth Social was immediately met with outrage by some members of his party.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) strongly opposed the president’s statement on Monday, declaring, “I guess I’m backwards and poor.”

PabloReports: What do you make of Trump saying Americans who oppose data centers are backwards and poor?Burchett: I guess I’m backwards and poor… pic.twitter.com/mwCxIQHWdx

Kentucky Republican Rep. Savannah Maddox told followers on X that Trump’s messaging was “concerning.”

“Rural doesn’t mean ‘backwards and poor’ and development doesn’t always equate to being successful and rich,’” the lawmaker wrote. “President Trump wouldn’t be president without the rural voters who inhabit America’s heartland.”

She continued, “It is not wrong of us to question the sudden and wide-scale effort to convert arable land into data centers. We are not stupid for wanting to protect our rural way of life.”

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene also ripped the president, with the former Georgia congresswoman stating, “Everyone hates data centers.”

New directive from the leader: MAGA is required to support all Data Centers, no questions asked. pic.twitter.com/9Kp2i5uYdt

Everyone hates data centers and Americans are packing out city halls and county commissioners meetings trying to stop data centers from being built.They consume the land and steal the water and creates noise pollution that drives people and animals insane, while creating very… pic.twitter.com/exn3oesl5e

Other voices from the right also chimed in.

Trump has lost it we don’t want data centers bruh https://t.co/LbDhVo03mk

Build a Data Center right next to Mar-a-Lago.Build a Data Center right next to the White House.Build a Data Center right next to Congress.Build a Data Center in Martha's Vineyard.Show us how much you love Data Centers, please.

However, some continued to support Trump’s stance, with a number of MAGA supporters even pushing conspiracy theories that the anti-data center movement is rooted in China’s efforts to win the “AI race.”

We need to be savvy consumers on the internet because the Chinese Communists are investing millions of dollars to try to convince you you hate data centers.More on the latest episode of Verdict: The Chinese Communists Caught Spending Big Bucks Trying to Make You Hate Data… pic.twitter.com/BjMF8dOhLL

The reason China and other nefarious actors insist on manipulating American's is that it's both effective and easy.Data Centers are the new boogeyman, and low IQ idiots are more than happy to jump onboard the latest scare for clicks.Don't you get tired of being conned?

Loudon County, VA has the largest concentration of data centers in the United States.Loudon County also is the richest county in the United States. Not a coincidence. https://t.co/2tqcCihJHr

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