United States President Donald Trump is preparing to use executive orders from the White House to give the United States a boost in the AI race, widening the gap with China in the global race, according to Reuters. The orders, still being finalized, aim to fix a critical issue choking US progress—energy. Training massive AI systems eats up huge amounts of electricity, and utilities across the country are already struggling to keep up.
According to reports, This move is not about tech anymore, it is about power. The government is looking to fast-track power projects, open up federal land for data centers, and roll out a nationwide permitting system that makes it easier to get these facilities built. These actions are being drafted as pressure grows to stop China from catching up in AI development, military capabilities, and economic influence.
Trump plans to give US an edge as White House clears land and cuts delays
For Trump’s plan to be successful, he would need to open up land owned by the Defense and Interior Departments to companies building AI infrastructure. These plots are large, secure, and already under federal control, which makes them easier to allocate quickly. The zoning laws in states and towns have slowed down AI-related projects, and some have even been blocked due to local backlash. The administration believes offering federal land could eliminate those setbacks.
In the same vein, the White House is working on a nationwide permit under the Clean Water Act. The permit is expected to allow developers to skip the slow, expensive state-by-state process. A senior official involved in the discussions said, “We’re looking at a blanket permit structure to reduce red tape and get things moving faster.” These steps aim to accelerate the construction of the energy-hungry data centers that AI models require to function.
These demands are no joke. A report by Grid Strategies shows that electricity demand in the United States between 2024 and 2029 is expected to grow five times faster than estimates made in 2022. Another report by Deloitte projects that by 2035, the amount of power consumed by AI data centers could grow more than thirtyfold. The infrastructure simply isn’t ready.
Another part of the executive actions will focus on clearing the backlog of energy projects that have been waiting to connect to the national grid. These projects spend years buried in impact studies, with no progress because the transmission network is at its limit. Energy isn’t the only focus, with Trump also throwing support behind the Stargate Project, a multi-billion dollar collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle.
Trump also ordered a full AI Action Plan in January. That report, which includes input from the National Security Council, is due by July 23. There’s internal talk of branding that day “AI Action Day”, with public events and media coverage to show commitment to scaling the industry. Trump will discuss these plans in more detail during a public appearance scheduled for July 15 in Pennsylvania, at an AI and energy event hosted by Senator Dave McCormick. The event is expected to highlight upcoming regulatory changes, grid reforms, and infrastructure updates.