Trump Proposes Coal-Powered AI Data Centers, Drawing Criticism and Skepticism
Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Michael Ciaglo
President Donald Trump proposed powering future artificial intelligence (AI) endeavors with coal, touting it as a “bomb-proof” energy source during a speech Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In his speech, Trump falsely claimed he was the first to suggest placing AI data centers near energy production facilities, an idea he said would revolutionize the energy landscape.
The remarks quickly drew ridicule from critics. “So I’m going to give emergency declarations so that they can start building them almost immediately,” Trump vowed. “And I think it was largely my idea because nobody thought this was possible.”
He elaborated on the plan, saying, “I told them that what I want you to do is build your electric generating plant right next to your plant as a separate building connected. And they said, wow, you’re kidding.” Trump argued this setup would safeguard AI operations against disruptions to the power grid, particularly in emergencies, told KDVR.
“And they may have coal as a backup. Good, clean coal,” he said. “If there were a problem with a pipe coming in, as an example, you’re going with gas, oil, and gas, and a pipe gets blown up or for some reason doesn’t work, there are some companies in the U.S. that have coal sitting right by the plant so that if there’s an emergency, they can go to that short-term basis and use our very clean coal.”
Trump went on to extol coal’s resilience. “Nothing can destroy coal, not the weather, not a bomb, nothing,” he claimed. “It might make it a little smaller, might make it a little different shape, but coal is very strong as a backup.”
Critics pointed out the hazards of coal, including its flammability. In 2022, President Joe Biden signed an infrastructure bill that funded efforts to extinguish a Colorado coal fire that had burned for over 100 years.
Additionally, Ukrainian coal miners have reportedly struggled with bombing by Russian forces. “Accidents are common in Ukraine’s aging coal mines. Methane gas, a byproduct of coal mining, is highly explosive,” The New York Times reported in 2022.
Trump’s remarks drew skepticism from energy experts and AI industry leaders, many of whom view renewable energy sources and advanced infrastructure as more viable options for powering future AI endeavors. Critics also dismissed his claims as impractical and out of touch with modern energy needs.
