Trade Secretary Lutnick calls water-use claims about AI data centers propaganda

During one outlet's interview, U.S. Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick asserted that data centers do not use water and accused critics of spreading propaganda to hinder AI expansion. The statement sharply reverses his 2025 comments, where he cited water needs as evidence of high-skill job creation in the sector. Community opposition has grown, exemplified by Beverly Morris in Mansfield, Georgia, who alleges her well was affected by a Meta data center and has joined a lawsuit against the company.

Independent investigations commissioned by Meta dispute the claims, but other reports from Bloomberg and one outlet note that two-thirds of new U.S. data centers since 2022 are located in areas facing water scarcity. A Gallup poll shows that seven-in-ten Americans oppose nearby AI data center projects, with water and power consumption driving the resistance. The controversy is prompting some Republican lawmakers in Texas to seek tighter regulations and reduced tax incentives for the industry.