Trump Hosts Tech Firms for Ratepayer Protection Pledge

The president will sign an initiative requiring data centers to pay increased electricity costs in local areas.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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President Trump is welcoming executives from major tech companies to the White House on Wednesday afternoon to sign his ratepayer protection pledge. The initiative, first announced during Trump's State of the Union address last month, will require signatories like Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, xAI, OpenAI and Amazon to pay increased electricity costs in areas where new data centers are built.

Why it matters

The ratepayer protection pledge is aimed at addressing rising electricity prices that the Trump administration says began during the previous administration. The plan is intended to strengthen American energy dominance while also ensuring the U.S. wins the AI race by requiring tech giants to shoulder more of the energy costs associated with their data centers.

The details

According to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the ratepayer protection pledge 'will deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people.' The event at the White House is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. EST.

  • The ratepayer protection pledge was first announced during Trump's State of the Union address last month.
  • The White House event is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. EST.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States.

Chris Wright

The U.S. Secretary of Energy.

Google

An American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products.

Microsoft

An American multinational technology company that produces computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services.

Meta

An American multinational technology conglomerate that owns social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

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What they’re saying

“President Trump's ratepayer protection pledge will deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and help stop the rising electricity prices that started during the previous administration.”

— Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy

What’s next

The tech companies are expected to sign the ratepayer protection pledge at the White House event on Wednesday afternoon.

The takeaway

The ratepayer protection pledge is the Trump administration's attempt to address rising electricity costs by requiring major tech firms to pay more for the energy used by their data centers, with the goal of strengthening American energy dominance and competitiveness in the AI race.