Kevin O'Leary claims Chinese propaganda is to blame for anti-datacenter backlash, 'hundreds of millions of dollars' being spent to kill US dominance in AI — industry proponents and Trump administration reinforce claims of foreign interference

Kevin O'Leary and Trump-aligned officials said backlash to U.S. data center projects may be driven by Chinese propaganda and foreign-funded astroturfing.

They linked opposition to O'Leary's Utah project and broader AI infrastructure buildout to alleged outside interference.

Critics and policy experts said local resistance also reflects genuine concerns about power use, water demand, cost, and community impacts.

No verifiable evidence has been presented to support the foreign-interference claims.