America First:
The Trump Administration’s AI and Data Center Priorities
President Trump has made U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) a central national priority, which Build Oklahoma fully supports as the state advances our own goals along the same path. Here’s a summary of the Administration’s plan and what it’s doing.
The Trump Administration’s AI policy is built on a clear premise: America cannot lead in AI unless it quickly builds the infrastructure, particularly data centers, at scale in the United States. The policy links data centers to American energy independence, domestic manufacturing and supply chains and national defense and secure communications.
In other words, building an AI infrastructure at home ensures critical systems
remain under American control and reduces reliance on foreign technology.
This is borne out in the administration’s AI strategy and executive orders:
“Today, a new frontier of scientific discovery lies before us, defined by transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence… Breakthroughs in these fields have the potential to reshape the global balance of power, spark entirely new industries, and revolutionize the way we live and work. As our global competitors race to exploit these technologies, it is a national security imperative for the United States to achieve and maintain unquestioned and unchallenged global technological dominance. To secure our future, we must harness the full power of American innovation.”
Donald J. Trump 45th and 47th President of the United States
Why Data Centers Are Central to Trump’s AI Strategy
Modern AI requires massive computing power, reliable electricity, transmission lines, cooling systems, and secure networks. Without rapid data center construction, the Administration argues the U.S. risks falling behind global competitors.
The Administration views data centers as:
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Essential to AI development, national security, and economic competitiveness
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Critical industrial infrastructure, not just private tech facilities
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A key area where federal permitting delays have slowed U.S. progress
What the Trump Administration Is Doing
The Trump Administration’s actions remove bottlenecks that slow construction while keeping projects on U.S. soil, in line with President Trump’s America First strategy. Executive orders direct federal agencies to fast-track data center development by:
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Prioritizing large AI data centers as nationally significant projects
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Accelerating federal permits using coordinated, time-limited review processes
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Expanding exclusions under environmental review laws to avoid unnecessary delays
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Reducing when federal funding triggers lengthy environmental reviews
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Exploring nationwide Clean Water Act permits tailored to large data center sites
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Opening access to federal lands and military installations for data center and energy infrastructure
What This Means for Communities
The Trump Administration emphasizes that data centers provide a strong tax base with limited strain on public services. Communities can expect:
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Major private investment in land, power systems, and construction
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Faster development of large data centers and supporting infrastructure
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Long-term tax revenue for schools, roads, and local services
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High-paying construction and technical jobs
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Economic growth without residential crowding or population spikes
Bottom Line
The Trump Administration’s AI policy is clear: to win the AI race, America must build data centers faster and with fewer regulatory obstacles. Executive orders align federal agencies around this goal, treating data centers as strategic infrastructure essential to economic growth, national security, and technological leadership.