MAHA activists urge Trump against promoting coal to power energy-hungry AI data centers
- Nearly 200 activists from the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement criticized President Trump's promotion of coal for AI data centers.
- The activists sent a letter to Trump and other officials, expressing concerns over pollution and advocating for renewable energy options.
- This marks the first major mobilization of the MAHA movement regarding fossil fuels and highlights tensions with the Trump administration.
- The letter emphasizes the importance of American leadership in AI without compromising children's health due to pollution.
- Some MAHA activists have expressed frustration with the administration's environmental policies, indicating potential voting decisions based on these issues.
Nearly 200 activists in Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement are criticizing President Donald Trump’s promotion of coal to fuel the rise of artificial intelligence data centers, according to a letter sent Friday. The letter, signed by at least two former staffers from Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign, marks the first major MAHA movement mobilization over fossil fuels and the latest in a series of rifts between the diverse group of activists and the Trump administration over environmental policy.
The letter to Trump, Kennedy, and various other Cabinet officials laments a 2025 executive order that aimed to boost coal to power data centers over pollution concerns and asks the administration to consider renewable options, including solar and geothermal energy. Prominent MAHA figures behind the letter include Zen Honeycutt, a former Kennedy campaign staffer, and Charles Eisenstein, a former speechwriter on Kennedy’s campaign.
In response, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers noted that greenhouse gas emissions dropped to a 30-year low during Trump’s first term and stated that Trump was given a mandate to roll back climate policies. This new line of criticism against one of the administration’s signature policies could present another challenge for Republicans as they seek to win over the voting bloc in key races.
As health secretary, Kennedy has implemented several policy changes catering to the MAHA movement, but many activists have expressed frustration with the administration's embrace of certain pesticides and its deregulatory environmental agenda. The letter asks for a transparent review of data center location and power sourcing decisions, highlighting the political stakes as the midterm elections approach.
MAHA 活动人士敦促特朗普不要推广煤炭为能源饱和的人工智能数据中心供电
近200名来自健康部长罗伯特·F·肯尼迪（Robert F. Kennedy Jr.）的“让美国再次健康”运动的活动人士批评特朗普总统推广煤炭为人工智能数据中心提供动力，相关信件于周五发送。该信件由至少两名肯尼迪2024年总统竞选的前工作人员签署，标志着MAHA运动在化石燃料问题上的首次重大动员，并突显了活动人士与特朗普政府在环境政策上的一系列分歧。
信中对特朗普、肯尼迪及其他内阁官员表示遗憾，称2025年的一项行政命令旨在提升煤炭用于数据中心的使用，但对污染问题表示担忧，并要求政府考虑包括太阳能和地热能在内的可再生能源选项。信件背后的知名MAHA人物包括前肯尼迪竞选工作人员Zen Honeycutt和前演讲撰稿人Charles Eisenstein。
作为回应，白宫发言人泰勒·罗杰斯（Taylor Rogers）指出，在特朗普的第一任期内，温室气体排放降至30年来的最低水平，并表示特朗普获得了撤回气候政策的授权。这一针对政府标志性政策的新批评可能为共和党在争取关键选民时带来新的挑战。
作为健康部长，肯尼迪实施了多项迎合MAHA运动的政策变化，但许多活动人士对政府对某些农药的接受及其放松环境监管的议程表示失望。信中要求对数据中心的选址和电力来源决策进行透明审查，突显了临近中期选举时的政治风险。