As local resistance against massive data center developments grows, a newly formed group called Build American AI is spending millions on advertisements in key states like Kansas, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The campaign is funded by the super PAC Leading the Future, which receives financial backing from high-profile tech figures including Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and Greg Brockman.

Public pushback against these facilities spans the political spectrum. Recent polling from the Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that 61 percent of adults oppose new data center construction in their neighborhoods, marking a 12-point jump in just a few months. Data from Gallup indicates that opposition is strong among Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike, with roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of voters preferring these projects stay away from their communities.

Residents living near proposed sites frequently point to tangible concerns, including higher electricity bills, potential power grid failures, and massive water consumption. Politicians are taking notice of the shift in voter sentiment. In Ohio, local opposition to data centers has emerged as a central issue in Senate races, while political committees warn that ignoring voter anxiety could carry heavy electoral consequences. At the same time, federal figures like Donald Trump continue to back the projects, publicly criticizing communities that turn them down.

State and local governments are already acting on these concerns. New York instituted the nation's first moratorium on new hyperscale data center construction, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott has effectively frozen similar projects. According to the monitoring group Data Center Watch, local opposition successfully blocked or delayed at least 75 data center projects totaling $130 billion in the first three months of 2026 alone.

This multimillion-dollar ad campaign represents a direct effort by the tech industry to sway public opinion in the face of widespread local pushback. History suggests that when an industry relies heavily on paid public relations to secure backing, it typically reflects a lack of genuine public support.

What local impact have you noticed from data center developments in your area?

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has stepped down from his post after warning President Trump that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's sweeping removal of military leaders is damaging the armed forces' readiness.

During a meeting with the president, Driscoll detailed the full extent of the firings, forced resignations, and blocked promotions carried out under Hegseth. Sources report that Trump was surprised by the sheer number of departures. With Driscoll's exit, the military faces significant leadership gaps—including the loss of its top civilian official, two Senate-confirmed head generals, and a confirmed commander—while actively engaged in a war with Iran.

The resignation follows months of tension between the two officials. Hegseth reportedly viewed Driscoll, who has ties to Vice President JD Vance and favors a traditional leadership approach, as a rival. In April, Hegseth's team targeted Driscoll's inner circle, removing his chief of staff, General Randy George, and two other senior officials.

While administration insiders differed on the motives behind the friction, critics have pointed to the leadership shakeups as reckless. With Driscoll gone, Hegseth faces little internal opposition to his overhaul of Pentagon leadership.

What are your thoughts on how these leadership changes will impact military strategy moving forward?

A federal whistleblower report reveals that the U.S. Postal Service pushed forward with an untested data portal to support President Donald Trump’s mail-in voting directive, raising concerns about potential mail-in ballot rejections ahead of the midterm elections.

The report, made public by Senator Richard Blumenthal, alleges that the agency ignored standard development protocols to meet tight deadlines. The system requires states to upload voter lists and ballot envelope designs to a new tracking portal.

Under the rules established for the portal, batches of ballots face a strict zero-failure standard. If a single ballot in a bulk submission fails to match the database—such as a minor discrepancy in a voter's name—the postal service will reject the entire batch rather than just the flagged item. Lawmakers warn this could result in thousands of valid ballots being withheld without voters realizing it until it is too late to cast a vote.

The rollout comes just weeks before states are legally required to begin sending ballots to military and overseas voters. Critics argue the absence of basic internal testing and customer acceptance phases creates a high risk of system failures.

Legal challenges against the USPS directive are currently moving through federal court. While temporary orders have paused aspects of the mandate, the broader dispute over the administration's voting rules is expected to continue facing legal scrutiny.

What steps do you think election officials should take to ensure ballot security without risking delivery delays?

Florida transportation officials have ordered local police to remove automated license plate readers from state rights-of-way. The decision follows a directive from Governor Ron DeSantis, who argued that highway surveillance has expanded past acceptable limits and poses clear risks to public privacy.

The restriction applies strictly to state-managed roads. It leaves cameras on local streets and private property untouched, though some municipalities, including Jacksonville, have chosen to dismantle their entire tracking networks anyway.

Automatic license plate readers log vehicle movements continuously. Manufacturers like Flock Safety market the hardware and software as a way for police departments to trace suspects, locate stolen cars, and find missing individuals. However, the rapid spread of the technology has triggered sharp pushback from privacy advocates and lawmakers.

Opposition centers on data sharing and potential misuse. Because networks allow police departments across the country to pool and share footage, critics argue the systems create a permanent record of everyday travel for millions of citizens. Recent scandals, including the arrest of a Kentucky officer accused of misusing the network to track an ex-partner thousands of times, have intensified scrutiny.

Governors in other states are taking similar measures. Texas recently halted state funding for Flock cameras, and more than 100 local governments nationwide have dropped their surveillance contracts over the past year.

Camera manufacturers maintain that the restrictions go too far. Representatives for Flock Safety state that the technology remains essential for solving violent crimes and protecting communities, pointing to recent policy updates designed to shorten data retention windows and restrict unauthorized searches.

Despite these adjustments, public pushback continues to grow. Alongside legislative bans, citizens have filed class-action lawsuits against surveillance providers, and individuals in dozens of communities have resorted to vandalizing or removing the cameras directly.

During an interview on Fox News with host Trey Gowdy, Trump called on voters to treat the upcoming 2026 midterm elections as a referendum on his leadership.

Midterm elections typically result in the governing party losing seats in Congress. Trump addressed this pattern by claiming it only happens when his name is missing from the ballot.

"I see it all the time, that when Trump's on the ballot, they win," he told Gowdy. "When he’s not on the ballot, the people don’t go to vote, and I’m asking the people... to get out and vote. Pretend I’m on the ballot."

Trump also tied the midterms to his administration's broader political agenda, warning that a loss in Congress would lead to higher taxes and the continuation of policies supporting transgender people, which he vowed to stop.

Since taking office for his second term, Trump has enacted a series of policies targeting transgender individuals. His actions include ordering federal agencies to halt the recognition of transgender identities, removing transgender service members from the military, and restricting transgender youth from participating in school sports matching their gender identity. He has also directed federal investigative offices to pressure schools and hospitals into rolling back transgender healthcare and institutional support.

Representative Thomas Massie used a speech on the House floor to name 14 people he believes should face investigations regarding their associations with Jeffrey Epstein.

Marking one year since the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Massie argued that the federal government is still holding back more than three million relevant documents. To counter this, he introduced a follow-up bill designed to give state attorneys general direct access to the files and make it easier for survivors to pursue legal action.

Because the remarks were made on the House floor, Massie is shielded from civil or criminal liability under the Constitution's speech or debate clause. He is currently working to gather the 218 signatures required for a discharge petition to force a formal House vote on the new legislation.

The 14 individuals named by Massie include a mix of prominent business executives, public figures, and former associates:

• Jes Staley: Former JP Morgan executive who admitted to sharing market-sensitive data with Epstein and has faced regulatory bans in the United Kingdom, though he maintains he was unaware of Epstein's crimes.

• Leon Black: Billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management, who stepped down in 2021 and maintains he had no knowledge of Epstein's illegal activities.

• Les Wexner: Retail billionaire who previously maintained a close friendship with Epstein, though legal counsel noted he was treated as a witness rather than a target by federal prosecutors in 2019.

• David Copperfield: Magician whose name appears in multiple Department of Justice files, including photos on Epstein's private island.

• Lapo Elkann: Italian businessman and Fiat heir whose name appears in the files without formal criminal charges.

• Tom Pritzker: Former Hyatt Hotels executive chairman who stepped down after document releases detailed ongoing contact with Epstein after his 2008 conviction.

• Glenn Dubin: Hedge fund manager who was named in civil litigation by a victim; allegations he and his wife have strongly denied.

• Frédéric Fekkai: Celebrity hairstylist who was accused of sexual assault by a former Epstein aide, an allegation he denies.

• Eduardo Teodorani: Italian businessman and former Maserati director whose name surfaced in the released documents.

• Jean-Luc Brunel: Modeling agent accused of procuring girls, who died in a French jail in 2022 while awaiting trial.

• Daniel Siad: Modeling scout found dead in France in 2023 while facing accusations of trafficking and rape, which he previously denied.

• Ramsey Elkholy: Musician and modeling agent who corresponded with Epstein regarding access to models, later stating he was unaware of the abuse.

• Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: The former British prince, whose royal titles were removed by King Charles, has faced repeated civil allegations and criminal inquiries regarding his ties to Epstein, all of which he has denied.

• Lesley Groff: Epstein's longtime executive assistant, who testified that she was unaware of his crimes while working for him.

While inclusion in the files or association with Epstein does not prove legal guilt, the renewed legislative push aims to open new avenues for state-level investigations and survivor lawsuits.

What specific aspect of the proposed Epstein Files Transparency Act II would have the biggest impact on ongoing legal efforts?