Activists affiliated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement have called on the Trump administration to reconsider its reliance on coal to power artificial intelligence data centers. The criticism, outlined in a letter obtained by the Associated Press and signed by approximately 200 activists, represents the first major mobilization by the MAHA movement focused on fossil fuels and adds to growing tensions between the activist group and the administration over environmental policy.
The letter specifically references a 2025 executive order intended to increase coal’s use in powering data centers and requests that officials explore renewable energy alternatives such as solar and geothermal sources. Signatories include Zen Honeycutt, a former Kennedy campaign staffer and founder of Moms Across America, and Charles Eisenstein, who previously served as a speechwriter for Kennedy’s campaign. The activists acknowledged the importance of American advancement in artificial intelligence and economic growth but argued that such progress should not create additional health risks for American children.
The White House responded by pointing to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions during Trump’s previous term and characterizing the administration’s approach as a necessary reversal of what it describes as excessive climate regulations. Data centers have emerged as a contentious issue in current elections, with voters across the political spectrum raising objections regarding impacts on electricity costs, water supplies, and local air and noise pollution.
The letter represents a significant challenge for Republicans as they prepare for midterm elections, particularly given statements from some MAHA members indicating they may prioritize specific issues over party affiliation. The MAHA movement, which Trump credits with contributing to his return to the presidency, has become increasingly vocal about frustrations with the administration’s environmental and regulatory policies, despite Kennedy’s implementation of various health-related initiatives aligned with activist priorities.
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