Trump Establishes Energy Council to Meet AI Power Demands Amid Competition with China
WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump has launched a new energy council to address the rising electricity needs, aiming to bolster America’s position in the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) race against China.
“We’re going to achieve energy dominance like never before, and this is just the beginning of the power we’ll need for AI facilities,” Trump stated while signing the executive order.
He emphasized the urgent need for increased energy production, noting, “AI plants require at least double the electricity we currently have.”
Doug Burgum, Trump’s Secretary of the Interior, reinforced this point, stating, “The US is in a critical AI competition with China, and securing sufficient electricity is essential to winning.”
According to the White House, the newly formed council will coordinate energy policies across federal agencies, streamline permitting processes, and optimize energy production and distribution.
This initiative aligns with Trump’s campaign promise to expand domestic energy production under the slogan “drill, baby, drill,” reversing environmental restrictions imposed by the Biden administration.
The decision also aims to mitigate potential economic challenges posed by Trump’s trade policies, which could lead to increased energy prices due to import tariffs or export limitations.
The AI sector’s demand for electricity is rapidly increasing, with data centers already placing significant pressure on the country’s aging power grid. Years of underinvestment, coupled with the decommissioning of older nuclear plants, have further strained the energy supply.
Tech industry leaders have been urging the Trump administration to prioritize energy expansion to support AI development. Officials project that by 2028, AI-related energy consumption could reach five gigawatts—enough to power approximately five million homes.
With this initiative, Trump aims to secure America’s leadership in AI by ensuring an uninterrupted and sufficient power supply for the industry’s future growth.
