The White House is struggling to develop a coherent message on artificial intelligence (AI), which Wall Street executives believe is crucial for the Trump administration's economic growth momentum. The administration faces opposition from not just Democrats but also some of its own rural supporters who are concerned about the environmental impact of data centers, citing increased water and energy usage. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has criticized the AI industry for failing to effectively communicate its benefits, while President Trump has attempted to reframe opposition to AI as a gift to China. The White House is seen as being in an "urgent" situation, with some warning that a rollback of AI could lead to a recession and jeopardize Trump's economic record ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Selling the Iran war to American voters has been an uphill battle for the Trump administration, but Wall Street executives fear there’s an even bigger battle it’s losing: the pitch for artificial intelligence, On the Money has learned.
asserted
Money → sell → intelligence
Making sure that the AI buildout forges ahead has become somewhat of an obsession among Trump officials, particularly those whose job it is to make sure the economic growth of the past two years keeps its momentum.
asserted
growth → make → momentum
You can argue about elevated prices, inflation, and spotty wage growth, but it’s hard to dispute that AI is a clear bright spot in the economy.
asserted
AI → argue → economy
It has expanded blue-collar jobs and created productivity gains that are leading to more jobs than AI commoditizes, most economists believe.
asserted
economists → expand → jobs
And yet the White House is still scrambling to come up with a coherent message – stoking fears that Democrats could capitalize on AI hysteria as the midterms approach.
uncertain
midterms → scramble → hysteria
The problem is that the naysayers go beyond the usual lefty tree huggers.
asserted
naysayers → go → huggers
The growing legions of AI skeptics now include swaths of Trump’s rural MAGA base.
asserted
legions → grow → base
They live where data centers are being built, many of them shouldering the net negatives of the AI buildout such as increased water and energy usage.
asserted
many → live → usage
The White House, I am told, understands all of the above, though the message is something “they have not figured out,” said one senior Wall Street executive with ties to the administration.
asserted
executive → tell → administration
This executive, who works in government affairs, agrees that AI is existential to the Trump economy: Without the buildout and the productivity gains, we might be in a recession.
uncertain
we → work → recession
A rollback could doom the president’s last two years in office and make a 2028 GOP presidential victory as difficult as keeping the House in the midterms.
uncertain
victory → doom → midterms
So, as he put it, “the need for action is urgent.”
asserted
need → put → action
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently pointed the finger at the AI industry itself, saying its top executives have “done a terrible job, terrible job of explaining themselves.”
asserted
executives → point → themselves
True, but tech geeks are among the least appealing flacks even for themselves or they wouldn’t be tech geeks.
Trump himself also has weighed in, trying to convince US citizens that opposition to AI is a massive gift to China and that if they want to be “successful and rich” with lower taxes and more jobs, they should “let Data Reign.”
asserted
Data → weigh → taxes
“The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them.
asserted
that → be → them
If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
asserted
Trump → kill → Social
Actually, they can’t believe it is happening!”
asserted
it → believe → ?
Good points, but he too needs to work on his sales pitch; implying the rural Americans are stupid when they see their power bills go up is hardly a winning message.
asserted
bills → need → pitch
There’s also a fear that AI skepticism is linked to a broader sentiment spreading across both political parties: that big business and a ruling elite are unconcerned about the problems of average Americans.
asserted
business → ’ → Americans
“This is a problem with populism, and both parties are the problem,” said another senior Wall Street executive with ties to the White House.
asserted
executive → say → House
Charlie Gasparino has his finger on the pulse of where business, politics and finance meet
asserted
business → meet → pulse
There is an easy fix to all of this, it could be argued: Tell the truth.
uncertain
it → be → truth
Yes, some rural communities have undeniably gotten the shaft with AI plants hogging their water and electricity.
asserted
plants → get → water
But it’s also true that the infrastructure is quickly becoming much more efficient.
asserted
infrastructure → ’ → ?
Plants are increasing their ability to reuse water and generate their own power.
asserted
Plants → increase → power
The tax dollars flowing to communities are real.
asserted
dollars → flow → communities
So are the jobs of blue collar workers needed to build these things.
asserted
jobs → need → things
Productivity is harder to sell, but higher GDP productivity growth isn’t.
asserted
growth → sell → ?
Plus, “if we don’t move aggressively forward, we become Europe and China wins,” the senior Wall Street executive said.
asserted
executive → move → ?
A White House press official didn’t return a request for comment.
asserted
official → return → comment
The growing legions of AI skeptics now include swaths of President Trump’s rural MAGA base.
asserted
legions → grow → base
Design
AI has expanded blue-collar jobs and created productivity gains that are leading to more jobs than AI commoditizes, most economists believe.
asserted
economists → expand → jobs
Connect
Trump himself also has weighed in, trying to convince US citizens that opposition to AI is a massive gift to China and that if they want to be “successful and rich” with lower taxes and more jobs, they should “let Data Reign.”
asserted
Data → weigh → taxes
