Nearly two hundred activists from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement wrote to President Donald Trump on Friday, asking the administration to abandon a 2025 executive order that promotes coal as a power source for artificial‑intelligence data centers. The letter, obtained by the Associated Press, was signed by former staffers of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 presidential campaign and represents the first coordinated MAHA response to a federal fossil‑fuel policy.
Letter cites health risks and calls for renewable alternatives
The activists argue that while the United States seeks leadership in AI, national security and economic growth, it should not do so at the expense of “a more toxic burden for American children.” They request that the administration prioritize renewable options such as solar and geothermal energy when siting and powering data centers, and that any future decisions respect existing environmental‑review requirements.
MAHA leaders voice concerns
Prominent signatories include Zen Honeycutt, a former Kennedy campaign staffer and founder of the advocacy group Moms Across America, and Charles Eisenstein, a former speechwriter for the campaign. Honeycutt said she asked the Kennedy‑aligned political action committee MAHA Action to endorse the letter but received no response. She added that research she conducted after the executive order revealed troubling levels of coal ash exposure in nearby communities.
“The data center push has been an overwhelmingly negative impact on our communities,” Honeycutt said. “We vote for those who put health and safety first.”
Trump’s stance on coal and data centers
President Trump has repeatedly praised “big, beautiful coal” as a cornerstone of his energy policy, despite criticism from environmental groups about greenhouse‑gas emissions and toxic pollutants from coal‑fired plants. He has also championed data centers as essential to maintaining the United States’ competitive edge in AI against China, noting the jobs and tax revenue they generate.
“If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in, an AI plant or a data center, I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous and the taxes paid are just enormous,” Trump said earlier this week.
Broader political context
The letter arrives less than three months before the November midterm elections, a period when Republicans are courting independent and swing voters. While the MAHA movement helped Trump secure his 2024 victory, many activists have grown frustrated with the administration’s deregulatory environmental agenda, including the use of pesticides such as glyphosate.
Some MAHA members have indicated they may vote on issues rather than party this fall, potentially influencing key races in states where data‑center development is a contentious local issue.
Impact on local communities
Data centers have become a flashpoint in recent elections, with voters across the political spectrum expressing concerns about rising electricity costs, water usage, and air and noise pollution. The activists’ request for transparent review of data‑center locations and power‑source decisions reflects a broader desire for community input and adherence to existing environmental safeguards.
The White House and the agencies addressed in the letter have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
