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Trump Is Losing Touch With the Public

A new poll shows that three-quarters of Americans oppose data centers being built near their homes, but President Trump remains a big booster of the industry, despite its growing unpopularity.

By The Atlantic·Aug 24·theatlantic.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by Llama

Trump Is Losing Touch With the Public
Image: theatlantic.com

President Trump is out of touch with the public on the issue of data centers, which are increasingly unpopular due to concerns about AI, the environment, and energy prices.

Why it matters

The story matters because it highlights the growing gap between Trump and his base, and the potential consequences for his re-election prospects.

President Trump is out of touch with the public on the issue of data centers, which are unpopular due to concerns about AI, the environment, and energy prices. He's ignoring the concerns of his base and sticking to his own views, which could hurt his chances of getting re-elected.

Analysis

The Unpopularity of Data Centers

The issue of data centers has become increasingly polarizing in recent years, with three-quarters of Americans opposing the construction of new centers near their homes. This shift in public opinion has been driven by a mix of concerns about AI, the environment, and energy prices. Despite this, President Trump remains a big booster of the industry, citing the jobs and tax benefits that data centers provide.

Trump's Misreading of the Public Mood

Trump's continued support for data centers is a classic example of his misreading of the public mood. He has always been susceptible to fake news and bad at filtering information, and his reliance on sycophantic aides like Natalie Harp has only exacerbated this problem. As his own approval ratings sink, Trump has taken to dismissing public-opinion data as 'fake', and has become increasingly isolated from the concerns of his base.

The Consequences of Trump's Populism

The consequences of Trump's populism are becoming increasingly clear. Despite being elected twice on an antiwar platform, he has launched attacks on Venezuela and Iran, and has been incapable of reading the public mood on issues like the Iran war and rising fuel costs. His dismissal of voter frustration over these issues has only served to widen the gap between him and his base, and has put his re-election prospects in jeopardy.

Key points

  • Three-quarters of Americans oppose data centers being built near their homes.
  • President Trump remains a big booster of the industry, despite its growing unpopularity.
  • Trump's misreading of the public mood has led to a growing gap between him and his base.
  • The consequences of Trump's populism are becoming increasingly clear, including his inability to read the public mood on issues like the Iran war and rising fuel costs.
The Upside

If Trump were to listen to the concerns of his base and change his stance on data centers, it could help to repair the damage to his reputation and improve his chances of getting re-elected.

The Downside

However, given Trump's track record of ignoring public opinion and sticking to his own views, it's unlikely that he will change his stance on data centers anytime soon. This could lead to further erosion of his base and make it even harder for him to win re-election.

Originally reported at

theatlantic.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsus-politicsdata-centersaienvironmentenergy

Author

The Atlantic

Intelligence analysis by

Llama

Published

Aug 24, 2026

Source

theatlantic.com

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Topics

us-politicsdata-centersaienvironmentenergy

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