Green Alarm: Activists Confront Trump Over AI's Coal-Powered Hunger

Nearly 200 activists associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement have publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s promotion of coal to fuel the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. This criticism was detailed in a letter sent Friday, marking the MAHA movement’s first significant mobilization over fossil fuels and highlighting ongoing environmental policy rifts between the diverse activist group and the Trump administration.

The letter, first obtained by The Associated Press and signed by at least two former staffers from Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, was addressed to Trump, Kennedy, and various other Cabinet officials. It specifically laments a 2025 executive order that aimed to boost coal production for powering data centers, citing profound pollution concerns. The activists urged the administration to consider sustainable, renewable energy alternatives, including solar and geothermal power, for these critical infrastructure projects. The letter emphasized a balance between American leadership in AI, national security, innovation, and economic growth, stating that such advancements “should not come at the cost of a more toxic burden for American children.”

In response to the criticism, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended the administration’s environmental record. Rogers noted that greenhouse gas emissions plummeted to a 30-year low during Trump’s first term. She asserted that Trump had received a mandate from voters to roll back what she termed “radical climate policies that are burning a hole through taxpayers’ wallets.”

The MAHA movement, which President Trump has credited with contributing to his electoral victory two years prior, has expressed increasing frustration with the administration. Despite some policy changes enacted by Health Secretary Kennedy that cater to the movement's priorities, such as efforts to scale back childhood vaccine recommendations and advocating for healthy diets free of artificial dyes and ultraprocessed foods, many activists are disappointed. They cite the administration's continued embrace of pesticides like glyphosate and its broader deregulatory environmental agenda as significant points of contention. Some members have indicated their intention to vote based on specific issues rather than party affiliation in the upcoming fall midterm elections, elevating the political stakes of these public tensions.

President Trump has consistently championed what he affectionately calls “big, beautiful coal,” despite widespread outcry from environmentalists regarding the planet-warming greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals released by coal-fired power plants. His administration has actively worked to reverse stricter Biden-era standards on greenhouse gas emissions, which are known to have severe health impacts, including harming brain development in children and increasing the risk of heart attacks in adults. Furthermore, Trump has been a vocal advocate for data centers, which are essential for powering AI and cloud computing, framing them as a necessary component for the United States to win the global AI race against competitors like China. He highlighted the economic benefits, stating, “If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in, an AI plant or a data center, I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous and the money paid, the taxes paid, are just enormous.”

Data centers have emerged as a significant political flashpoint in this year’s elections. Voters across the political spectrum have voiced criticisms, including concerns over escalating electricity bills, significant drainage of water supplies, and the generation of unhealthy levels of air and noise pollution. The letter from MAHA activists specifically requests that the Trump administration implement requirements for transparent review of data center location and power sourcing decisions. It also urges strict adherence to existing environmental review requirements throughout the permitting process for these facilities.

Zen Honeycutt, a former Kennedy campaign staffer and founder of Moms Across America, a prominent MAHA figure behind the letter, shared her concerns. After Trump’s executive order last year, she researched the impact of coal ash on communities and was deeply disturbed by her findings. She also expressed apprehension regarding other aspects of data centers, including their extensive land use and their detrimental effects on nearby residents. Honeycutt concluded, “The data center push has been an overwhelmingly negative impact on our communities, and there are many in the MAHA movement that are extremely disappointed about that. We vote for those who put health and safety first.”