PolitiFact debunks Trump's claim that US data center opposition is a 'China PR thing'

On September 10, 2026, President Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that widespread local opposition to data center construction is "a China PR thing", implying foreign influence manufactured the backlash. PolitiFact investigated and found experts who said the claim was exaggerated. While some Chinese influence campaigns exist, they amplify pre-existing organic opposition rather than creating it. Surveys show 61% of Americans oppose local data centers, and hundreds of local groups have formed across nearly every state. The fact-check concluded Trump's assertion distorts the reality of a broad, grassroots movement. This is part of a recurring pattern where Trump blames foreign actors for domestic dissent.

“You know, a lot of people say that it’s a China PR thing,” Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Quote verified against source