yahoo news | Wisconsin voters deal blow to Trump’s data center dreams Wisconsin voters in Port Washington—a small Milwaukee suburb—have just delivered a significant setback to President Donald Trump’s push for massive data‑center projects. The community approved, by roughly a two‑to‑one margin, a measure that requires city officials to obtain voter approval before granting tax‑subsidized districts to developers. The initiative was prompted by a Trump‑backed AI data center being constructed in the town, which will be operated by OpenAI and Oracle—companies whose leaders, Sam Altman and Larry Ellison, are allies of the president. The approved referendum does not halt the existing $15 billion, 1.3‑gigawatt facility, part of the broader “Stargate” AI megaprojects backed by the administration, but it does target future developments by mandating voter consent for any lucrative tax incentives awarded to developers. While the measure is already being challenged in court, its passage signals strong local opposition to the rapid, controversial rollout of data‑center infrastructure that critics claim could strain the environment and raise energy costs for nearby residents. Politico notes that this is the first referendum of its kind nationwide and could inspire similar votes in other states, potentially creating a wave of grassroots resistance to Trump’s data‑center agenda. As more referendums are slated for other jurisdictions, voters may increasingly be given the power to “throw sand in the gears” of the president’s AI‑focused infrastructure plans. Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/wisconsin-voters-deal-blow-trump-184916831.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall #wisconsin #portwashington #donaldtrump #openai