Donald Trump accelerates construction of AI infrastructure as Florida stands poised to restrict data centers

President Donald Trump convened a roundtable at the White House of the world’s leaders in technology to announce the Ratepayer Protection Pledge.

“Under this new agreement, Big Tech companies are committing to fully cover the costs of increased electricity production required for AI data centers and that would be prices for American communities will not go up, but in many cases will actually come down very substantially because you know the data centers and you people are so big, you’re the — the biggest in the world,” Trump said.

In signing the pledge, technology companies, including Google, Meta, OpenAI and XAI, among others, committed to bring new energy generation online, invest in transmission upgrades, negotiate separate rate structures and strengthen grid resilience. The companies also guaranteed they will create jobs in local communities where they build data centers and establish programs to build skills among the workforce.

America’s continued economic and technological leadership depends on reliable, large-scale data centers built here in America, according to the White House. The agreement announced on Wednesday ensures the American people will not foot the bill.

“We have to lead in AI,” Trump said. “And you can’t do that if you can’t build.”

David Sacks, Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, warned of the Democrats’ opposition to AI infrastructure.

“Democrats, like Bernie Sanders … they just want to ban the data centers so they want to stop the economic growth. They want to stop the wage increases for blue collars. They want to stop the construction, they want to stop progress. That’s not the answer,” Sacks said.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Tallahassee stand poised to do just that. Proposed bills in both the House and Senate are some of the most restrictive measures in the nation when it comes to the construction of new data centers.

SB 484, Data Centers by Sen. Bryan Ávila, passed the Senate floor last week. The bill would prohibit nondisclosure agreements for private companies looking to invest billions in the construction of a data center.

Business leaders assert that confidentiality agreements are key to large development projects, allowing private companies to perform due diligence and negotiate agreements without revealing private information to their competitors. A ban on NDAs would effectively close the door to data centers interested in coming to Florida.

The House companion goes a step further, outlawing the construction of data centers within five miles of a school in Florida, effectively ruling out a majority of the state as possible locations for these massive private investments and significant job creators.

HB 1007, Data Centers by Rep. Griff Griffitts, is placed on Second Reading, awaiting a vote on the House floor.

If Florida advances the proposed restrictions, data centers — along with the jobs they create and millions in annual tax revenue they generate — will go to neighboring states.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson at Wednesday’s White House roundtable described the benefits data centers have brought to Louisiana.

“Amazon is doing a big one. And our communities are so grateful to have that investment, and also grateful because they’re coming in as great corporate partners, community partners and they’re acting responsibly. They’re helping to build out the energy grid, and they’re making life better, not just with good paying jobs. They’re actually making life better in these communities and in our state.”