Data Center Opposition Blocks $130B, 37 Arrested as Midterms Near

Opposition to AI data centers in the U.S. has blocked or delayed roughly $130 billion across more than 75 projects, with more than 800 organized resistance groups active in 49 states and at least 37 people arrested in 2026 for protesting. A March 2026 Gallup poll found 71% of Americans oppose an AI data center in their local area, and the issue is registering as a political liability for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms. In response, Build American AI, a dark money group affiliated with Greg Brockman and an a16z-backed super PAC called Leading the Future, launched a super PAC with $50 million targeting battleground states. The administration introduced a Ratepayer Protection Pledge in which major AI companies committed to fund new power generation and grid upgrades to address the electricity cost concern that has become the central political pressure point. Data Center Watch tracked $64 billion in blocked or delayed projects from May 2024 to March 2025, then an additional $98 billion between late March and June 2025. Arrested protesters include a Kansas teacher removed for clapping at a community meeting and an Oklahoma farmer arrested for speaking seconds over the allowed time at a town hall.