Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says AI data centers deserve the backlash they face, blaming the industry for failing to win over local communities before building.
Alpha Score of 45 reflects weak overall profile with weak momentum, weak value, strong quality, weak sentiment.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the AI industry has only itself to blame for the backlash against data centers.
"They basically dug their own grave for the problem that's been caused for them, and that's why they got the backlash they deserve," Abbott said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
The Republican governor's comments mark a sharp turn for a politician who initially welcomed the server warehouses for their economic benefits. Data centers can generate construction jobs and provide tax revenue for local communities. But resistance from residents across Texas – from Abilene to Sulphur Springs – has forced Abbott to change course.
Americans are crowding planning meetings, filing petitions, staging protests and taking legal action to stop the facilities. The complaints are wide: environmental impact, utility prices, water use, noise. A Gallup survey this year found 70% of Americans oppose having an AI data center in their local area, with 48% "strongly opposed."
Abbott has responded by proposing new rules. He instructed the state's utility commission and electrical grid operator to protect residents from infrastructure costs tied to the projects. He has also suggested banning data center development in rural Texas and requiring an audit before construction can begin. Earlier this month, Abbott said his administration had halted roughly 1,800 AI data center projects across the state.
The governor's change in posture puts him in a delicate position. He must balance the will of Texas voters against the priorities of President Donald Trump, whose administration has pushed aggressively to expand AI infrastructure. Trump accelerated federal permitting for data centers and backed the $500 billion Stargate Project, an OpenAI and Oracle venture to build hyperscale facilities nationwide.
"Gaining the support of people in local communities is essential," Abbott said.
Abbott suggested the industry's communication failures contributed to the public anger, pointing to the speed at which data centers are being built. Developers, he said, have not secured local support before pursuing projects.
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