Washington, D.C. – Today President Trump hosted a meeting of tech industry leaders to discuss matters pertaining to the rapid and seemingly out-of-control development of AI technology. Following the meeting he asserted that there was broad agreement among participants that there should be “tremendous self-regulation” in the industry, and he repeated his strong opposition to government regulation of AI. Trump also downplayed the growing nationwide opposition to AI data center development, claiming that the facilities would make communities “very happy.”

In response, Food & Water Action’s Deputy Director Mitch Jones issued the following statement:

“The notion that a manically profit-driven AI industry will safely regulate itself is as dangerous as it is absurd – akin to claiming an arsonist would make a good firefighter. Trump’s only concern is doing the bidding of his Big Tech billionaire friends.

“Trump’s rejection of the overwhelming opposition to AI data center construction throughout the country is political incompetence of the highest order. His obstinance will no doubt cost him and his party deeply in the coming elections.

“We can’t have politicians giving the tech oligarchs free rein. We need political leaders that will decisively rein them in. Our leaders must stand with us and say ‘no’ to so-called super intelligence, and put a halt to the massive hyperscale data centers powering this runaway industry.”