Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) isn't buying the theory that Americans who oppose data centers are unwitting pawns in a foreign influence campaign. On Tuesday, he pushed back against House Speaker Mike Johnson's claim that such opposition is tied to a Chinese psychological operation, arguing that people have perfectly reasonable gripes about the breakneck expansion of AI infrastructure.

Sanders Challenges China Claim

Sanders took to X to criticize Johnson, sharing a clip from a Fox News interview in which the Speaker discussed Democratic opposition to data centers.

"No, Mr. Johnson," Sanders wrote. "The 75% of Americans who oppose data centers, including a majority of Republicans, have not fallen victim to a Chinese psyop."

He added that Americans were "rightly concerned about AI billionaires raising their electricity bills, destroying the environment and threatening humanity."

Johnson Defends Data Center Stance

In the Fox News clip, the reporter asked Johnson about claims from technology executives and lawmakers that opposition to data centers was coming from China, and about Democrats making the issue part of their midterm messaging.

"This is what Democrats do every election cycle," Johnson said, accusing Democrats of focusing on "doom and gloom" messaging.

"Don't buy it. It is a Chinese cy op," Johnson said. "I really believe that. And it's not a conspiracy theory. I think they're pushing those ideas."

AI Data Centers Face Growing Scrutiny

Earlier this week, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned that governments might need to experience serious AI-related problems, such as a major cyberattack, before taking the technology's risks more seriously.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized the Republican-backed Ratepayer Protection Act as "optional" and "toothless," arguing it lacked binding safeguards for rising electricity demand from AI data centers. The House had passed the bill 417-3.

Previously, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also warned that communities near data centers faced higher utility costs, strained water resources and environmental concerns, saying, "Americans shouldn't be subsidizing the cost of these data centers."

China-Linked Data Center Probe

House Republicans Jason Smith (R-MO) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) asked Treasury and IRS officials to investigate whether China-linked funding supported U.S. groups opposing AI data centers.

They alleged that some organizations could be using tax-exempt status to advance foreign interests.

Smith and Moolenaar acknowledged legitimate concerns over electricity and water use but questioned whether China-linked groups were exploiting those concerns to slow U.S. AI development.

The lawmakers did not establish that all data center opposition was connected to China.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.