President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on October 21, 2026 that data center companies should pay financial dividends to local host communities, stating highly unpopular projects became extremely popular after striking deals.

From the articleTrump says he’s requiring data centers to provide their own electricityAlso in Trump shifts approach to data centers as political backlash grows, Trump announces mandate forcing AI data centers to pay energy dividends to the local community — says excess energy should be given or sold back to prevent increases or even bring down costs, Trump Says Data Centers Must Provide Their Own Electricity, Trump says companies should pay 'dividend' to communities to make data centers popular | Reuters, Trump floats cash payments amid backlash over AI data centers, Trump pitches a community 'dividend' to defuse data center backlash, Pay locals to love AI? Trump wants data centres to share a ‘dividend’, Trump says AI data centres should pay ‘dividends’ in pre-midterm shift