The global race to rapidly expand digital infrastructure, particularly against China, has become a focal point for some politicians heading into the midterms and the 2028 presidential election. When asked how to contend with the unpopularity of data centers at Semafor’s Powering America’s Future event Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat and floated presidential candidate, said: “AI is being developed. The real question is: Is it going to be developed here in the United States or in communist China? All of us should want it developed in the United States.”
The China threat is the same talking point Trump used in recent months to justify the rapid investment in and buildout of data centers. It suggests that arguments for slowed development — or outright NIMBYism — won’t be taken seriously by those at the top of politics, even as such stances gain traction with voters. “This is an issue that threatens our freedom if we allow China to overtake us on AI development,” Shapiro said, adding a caveat that the buildout should happen with environmental protections and public health in mind.