Interior Secretary Slams Sanders' Proposed Data Center Moratorium

Burgum says a moratorium would be "like waving the surrender flag to China" in the race for AI dominance.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum strongly criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal for a national moratorium on data centers, calling it a "complete capitulation" to China amid their rapid development of artificial intelligence. Burgum argued that data centers are essential for "manufacturing intelligence" and that "adversaries" are the only ones who want the U.S. to stop building them.

Why it matters

The debate over data centers highlights the geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China in the race for technological supremacy, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. Burgum's comments suggest the Biden administration views data center development as crucial to maintaining America's competitive edge.

The details

Burgum's comments came in response to Sanders' proposal for a national moratorium on data centers, which the Vermont senator argued would have a "profound impact" on land, water use, and electricity costs. Sanders also warned that AI could have a "catastrophic impact" on American jobs. However, Burgum dismissed these concerns, stating that data centers are essential for "manufacturing intelligence" and that a moratorium would be "like waving the surrender flag to China."

  • On Thursday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum criticized Sanders' data center moratorium proposal.
  • On Monday, Sanders announced his support for a citywide moratorium on data centers in Denver.
  • On Tuesday, President Trump announced a commitment from big tech leaders to pay increased electricity costs in areas where new data centers are built.

The players

Doug Burgum

The Interior Secretary under the Biden administration, who strongly criticized Sanders' proposal for a national moratorium on data centers.

Bernie Sanders

The Independent senator from Vermont who proposed a national moratorium on data centers, citing concerns about their environmental impact and potential job losses due to AI.

Donald Trump

The former president who announced a commitment from big tech leaders to pay increased electricity costs in areas where new data centers are built, in an effort to address concerns about higher electricity costs.

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What they’re saying

“A moratorium on data centers would — would be like, we might as well wave the surrender flag to China right now. I mean, it is, again — that'd be complete capitulation.”

— Doug Burgum, Interior Secretary (Fox Business Network's 'Mornings with Maria)

“Concerns about the very real environmental impact of data centers, however, are not the only reasons to support a moratorium. Let's be clear. AI will likely have a catastrophic impact on the lives of working-class Americans, eliminating tens of millions of blue- and white-collar jobs in every sector of our economy.”

— Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator (Sanders' Monday statement)

What’s next

The Biden administration is likely to continue pushing for increased data center development, despite concerns from lawmakers like Sanders, as part of its broader strategy to maintain America's technological edge over China.

The takeaway

The debate over data centers highlights the ongoing geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China in the race for AI supremacy, with the Biden administration viewing data center development as crucial to maintaining America's competitive position.