State-controlled media in China, Russia, and Iran are amplifying coordinated campaigns to oppose new U.S. data centers, framing them as energy-draining obstacles amid the escalating U.S.-China battle for artificial intelligence supremacy. The effort has gained traction with progressive lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), who will join two Chinese academics Wednesday to discuss "the existential threat of AI."
U.S.-China Tensions Escalate Over AI Infrastructure
Outlets such as China Daily, Global Times, and China Global Television Network (CGTN), all controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), have published pieces blaming data centers for rising energy costs. A CGTN video from October 2025 claimed AI-driven data centers caused "a major spike in energy prices" in regions like the West Coast, while a China Daily article cited a U.S. economics professor to argue that "electricity prices in the United States are emerging as a new source of economic strain."
These narratives contrast sharply with Beijing's domestic policies. While Chinese state media criticizes American data centers, the government offers subsidies covering up to half the energy costs for tech firms building similar infrastructure domestically. Meanwhile, Global Times recently celebrated "China's recent achievements in humanoid robotics" and "large language models," highlighting the duality of Beijing's approach.
Progressive Lawmakers Align with Anti-Data Center Advocates
The propaganda push aligns with efforts by U.S. lawmakers including Sanders, Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) and Maxwell Frost (D., Fla.), who support a moratorium on new data centers proposed by the environmental group Food and Water Watch. Sanders's participation in Wednesday's event with CCP-linked academics, Xue Lan of Tsinghua University and Zeng Yi of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance, drew criticism from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who called it "channeling Hugo Chavez to get advice on how to run our economy."
Russia's RT and Iran's Fars News Agency have mirrored China's messaging, with RT reporting on local opposition to data centers in states like Maine and New York, while Fars blamed U.S. facilities for prolonging coal plant operations. Domestic groups like the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism have also funded critical coverage of AI companies in major U.S. outlets.