Trump pressures the Big Seven tech giants to sign "bear the cost of electricity price hikes"! AI data centers consume 12% of electricity in the U.S., and voter anger is fueling the push.

Facing the surge in power demand from AI data centers and the resulting voter dissatisfaction, Trump announced a “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” in his State of the Union address, requiring Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI to bear the energy costs of data centers themselves, without passing them on to consumers. However, this pledge is not legally binding, and its enforcement mechanism remains unclear.
(Background: Bloomberg reports Trump will unveil a $70 billion AI and energy investment plan, with BlackRock contributing $25 billion.)
(Additional context: Bitcoin mining vs. AI: Who is consuming electricity faster?)

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• Seven tech giants sign “Ratepayer Protection Pledge”
• Data centers may consume 12% of U.S. electricity
• Non-binding pledge: slogan or real reform?

As the November 2026 midterm elections approach, public anger across the U.S. over AI data centers driving up electricity prices has become a political pressure Trump’s administration must address. Several communities have rejected data center projects over fears of rising utility costs, prompting the White House to step in to quell public discontent.

“These data centers need some PR help,” Trump admitted at a White House roundtable on Wednesday. “People think that just because data centers move in, electricity bills will skyrocket — that’s no longer the case.”

Seven tech giants sign “Ratepayer Protection Pledge”

In response, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and Elon Musk’s xAI jointly signed the White House’s “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” on Wednesday, promising to “self-generate, source, or purchase” all the electricity needed for their data centers without passing costs to consumers.

The pledge also includes: paying for all electrical infrastructure for new data centers (regardless of actual usage), prioritizing local hiring, providing skills training programs, and opening backup generators to the grid to prevent outages.

Data centers may consume 12% of U.S. electricity

The tech giants’ need to appease public opinion is not without reason. A February report from Harvard Kennedy School warned that by 2028, AI data centers could consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity, with some regions already exceeding current grid capacity.

Meanwhile, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows residential electricity prices have risen 6% in 2025 and are expected to continue climbing through 2028. As living costs increase during an election year, the issue of AI power consumption has shifted from a tech industry debate to a political matter influencing voters.

Non-binding pledge: slogan or real reform?

It’s important to note that this pledge is not legally binding. The White House has not clarified how it will ensure companies follow through, making the document more of a “political PR stunt” than a enforceable regulation.

For the crypto industry, this policy development warrants close attention. As more Bitcoin mining companies pivot to AI data center hosting, the mechanism for sharing AI electricity costs will directly impact their profit models. If voluntary commitments like “self-paying” are eventually replaced by mandatory regulations, it could be a double-edged sword for companies involved in both mining and AI operations.