Hassett: Trump respects communities that don’t want data centers

The signal here is political, not regulatory: a senior White House adviser framing local resistance as something the administration respects, while explicitly leaving federal siting policy untouched. That distinction matters for the data center buildout tied to AI and digital-asset infrastructure, where permitting friction at the local level is often the binding constraint. The absence of any policy change means the practical landscape is unchanged, but the tone could embolden local opposition in contested jurisdictions. Whether this rhetoric translates into anything more concrete, or remains a passing comment, is the open question worth tracking.