Republicans blame China for data center opposition without strong evidence
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has claimed that opposition to data centers in the United States is part of a “Chinese psyop.” During an interview on Fox Business, Johnson asserted, “I really believe that. It’s not a conspiracy theory. I think they’re pushing those ideas.” This narrative has been echoed by other prominent Republicans, including former President Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who have suggested that foreign influence campaigns are behind the pushback against data center construction.
The claim gained traction following a 2026 report by the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), which several Republicans have cited. The report, authored by BPI’s head of research Sam Lyman, argues that China is using state media, nonprofit networks, and dark money groups to shape U.S. public opinion against AI data centers. However, the report provides little evidence to support this assertion. For instance, a video by China’s state broadcaster cited in the report has only about 1,200 views, and a network of Chinese-linked accounts on X showed minimal engagement.
Despite the lack of substantial evidence, multiple Republican members of Congress have written letters expressing concerns about foreign influence efforts targeting AI and data centers. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) even requested that the Department of Justice investigate these alleged influence campaigns. Yet, a Gallup survey conducted in March found that over 70% of Americans oppose constructing data centers for artificial intelligence in their local areas, suggesting that domestic concerns, not foreign influence, are driving opposition.
The BPI report also highlights the involvement of nonprofits connected to Neville Roy Singham, a U.S. expat living in Shanghai, and foreign billionaires like Hansjörg Wyss and Alan Parker. However, the report acknowledges that the influence of these groups on the data center debate has been relatively small. For example, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), linked to Singham, has been involved in organizing against data centers in only 2% of the jurisdictions that passed new restrictions.