House Speaker Mike Johnson says data center opposition is a ‘Chinese psyop’

(The Center Square) – House Speaker Mike Johnson referred to opposition to data centers as a “Chinese psyop” during an interview Monday, while also saying developers must earn communities’ trust and address concerns about utility rates and water resources.On Fox Business, Johnson was asked how he plans to respond to Democrats using concerns about data centers against Republicans in the midterm elections. The host said some tech executives and lawmakers claim China is spreading negative information about data centers.
“Don’t buy it,” Johnson replied. “It is a Chinese psyop.”
The Center Square reached out to Johnson’s communications team and they referred us back to his remarks immediately following the comment, saying he had explained his answer.
“The community concerns are important,” Johnson said in those remarks. “And I think our candidates on the campaign trail have made a very good case for this, the incumbents in Congress, the Republicans, to say, you have to regard community influence. Trust is earned. It’s not automatic.”
Johnson said the companies that go in to build AI infrastructure need to meet with the community and make sure that you have rate payer, payer protection pledge in place and all of that. He said Congress passed the Rate Payer Protection Act, which codified President Donald Trump’s provision that says if a developer goes in and builds data centers that they need to ensure to the local community that they’ll be good corporate partners.
“Your rates won’t go up,” Johnson continued. “We want the water resources that they can cycle that inside. There’s a lot of precautions that can be made. And where it’s done well, they partner with the local community. It’s a win-win-win, because it provides a lot of jobs, new investment, and that’s what these local communities need.”

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