July 15 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump criticized New York state’s decision to halt construction of large new data centers on Wednesday, saying the one-year moratorium would drive jobs and tax revenue to other states.
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“New York State has made a terrible decision,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling data centers “Money Machines” and “LIQUID GOLD” for the states that build them. He said companies seeking to build them would be courted by other states including Arizona, Florida, Texas and Alabama.
Trump also warned that the moratorium risked ceding ground on artificial intelligence to China and other countries, and he urged New York to change course.
New York on Tuesday became the first U.S. state to impose such a moratorium, which applies to data centers that use 50 megawatts or more of power to operate. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the facilities threaten to raise utility bills and deplete natural resources.
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The moratorium positions New York at the forefront of a growing national debate over how to manage the infrastructure needed to support AI. While technology companies are racing to build new data centers, lawmakers and regulators in dozens of states are weighing measures to limit their effect on electricity grids, utility bills and local communities.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acahrya and Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
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