President Donald Trump on Thursday promoted a voluntary pledge aimed at shielding U.S. consumers from rising electricity costs linked to the expansion of data centers supporting artificial intelligence (AI) development. Speaking during a visit to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters in Washington, Trump announced that 23 governors and numerous utility companies and technology firms have joined the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” which calls on data center developers to cover the costs of new energy infrastructure.

The pledge, initially unveiled in March, has attracted commitments from major technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI, and Amazon, as well as 55 utilities and 27 data center developers. According to the White House, signatories account for approximately 80% of electricity consumption in both residential and commercial sectors nationwide. However, the pledge is nonbinding and thus far has only been endorsed by Republican governors.

Trump argued that expanding AI data centers presents an economic opportunity for local communities, asserting these facilities could bring wealth with minimal disruption. He also dismissed aesthetic concerns, describing the often large-scale data center buildings as visually impressive. “You might as well do it yourself,” Trump said, warning that failing to embrace this growth would lead to others benefiting instead.

The push comes amid growing public resistance to new data center construction. A May Gallup poll found that about 70% of Americans oppose building data centers in their local areas. Concerns include rising energy costs, as the AI boom substantially increases electricity demand in certain regions, notably northern Virginia. Some residents reported energy bills exceeding $1,000 last winter as data centers strained the local grid.

Utility experts and energy analysts have expressed uncertainty over whether existing power infrastructure can sustainably meet the rising demands. Data centers currently consume roughly 4.4% of U.S. electricity and are projected to use up to 12% by 2030. The pledge intends to alleviate these pressures by requiring developers to fund additional power generation capacity, with the administration suggesting this will ultimately lower electricity bills for consumers due to a surplus of electricity being fed into the grid.

Not all stakeholders are convinced of these assurances. Critics question whether self-generation by data centers can sufficiently counterbalance increased consumption or translate into genuine cost reductions for households. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a temporary ban on constructing large data centers, citing concerns about utility strain and environmental impact. Business leaders have warned that such restrictions risk diverting investment and job opportunities to other states.

Some Republican officials, including the president, have suggested that opposition to data center development is partially influenced by foreign interference aimed at undermining U.S. technological leadership, though no evidence has been presented publicly. Meanwhile, industry representatives caution that consumer backlash could prompt companies to relocate data centers overseas, jeopardizing the domestic AI sector’s competitiveness.

As debates continue over balancing energy demands, infrastructure investment, and community concerns, the administration’s promotion of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge underscores AI’s growing significance as a driver of economic growth and political discussion ahead of upcoming elections.