Trump says he will approve AI power plants using emergency declaration

President Donald Trump said Thursday he will expedite the construction of power plants for artificial intelligence through an emergency declaration, as the U.S. races against China for dominance in the industry.

“We’re going to build electric generating facilities. I’m going to get the approval under emergency declaration. I can get the approvals done myself without having to go through years of waiting,” Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The plants can use whatever fuel they want, the president said, making clear that his administration won’t hold the AI industry to any climate targets. Trump suggested the plants use coal for emergency backup power.

“There are some companies in the U.S. that have coal sitting right by the plant so that if there’s an emergency, they can go to that,” the president said.