Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has affirmed his unwavering support for President Donald Trump's ambitious plan to bolster the United States' capabilities in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Patrick emphasized their shared vision, stating, "There’s no disagreement between President Trump and me on this." He expressed complete support for the President's initiative, often referred to as the "Stargate Plan," and their aligned goal of establishing Texas and America as global leaders in AI, data centers, and crypto. Patrick highlighted the commitment of these industries to secure their own power needs, minimizing the burden on residential and small business consumers.
This strong endorsement comes after Patrick's previous concerns about the potential strain of crypto mining and data centers on Texas' power grid. However, he reiterated his alignment with Trump's approach, emphasizing their unified stance. Last year, Patrick voiced apprehension on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the disproportionate energy demands of these industries compared to their job creation. He stressed his prioritization of affordable electricity for residential and business customers over catering to niche sectors with substantial power requirements.
Despite his earlier reservations, Patrick's current stance aligns with the Presidential Transition's economic focus on expanding data centers and crypto mining. A recent $20 billion foreign investment announcement for data center expansion across several states, including Texas, garnered praise from figures like Senator Ted Cruz. President Trump has also cultivated strong support within the crypto community, advocating for energy independence and economic growth while promoting crypto mining as crucial for U.S. leadership in the sector.
Dan Diorio, senior director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, emphasized the data center industry's appreciation for Trump's recognition of its role in national security and economic competitiveness. He highlighted Texas's potential to leverage this support for innovation and investment, solidifying its position as a leader in the digital economy.
Trump's recently announced "Stargate" initiative, a collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, represents a substantial $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure, with Texas as its central hub. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison confirmed the construction of twenty data centers in the state, each spanning half a million square feet, with the first project located in Abilene. Patrick reiterated his belief in Texas's potential to become a global leader in AI, data centers, and crypto, emphasizing the importance of ensuring sufficient power supply without overburdening the electrical grid. He expressed confidence in the industries' awareness of this challenge and their active pursuit of solutions.
With Texas' main grid operator projecting a near doubling of power demand by 2030, partly due to increased requests from large-scale users, the state faces the challenge of balancing its ambitious technological goals with the need for a stable and reliable power infrastructure.
