The Trump administration is implementing an aggressive strategy to respond to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing competition with China. On Friday, the U.S. president signed a decree establishing a National Council for Energy Dominance, designed to accelerate electricity production and streamline administrative procedures related to energy infrastructure.
Exponential energy consumption
The rise of generative AI has significantly increased electricity demand, particularly due to data centers, which are essential for processing and storing vast amounts of information. In 2023, these infrastructures already accounted for 4.4% of the United States’ electricity consumption. This figure is expected to reach 12% by 2028, according to a government-commissioned study.
Donald Trump emphasized the need to boost energy production to remain competitive in the global AI market. “They need at least twice the electricity we have today,” he stated. This announcement comes amid heightened rivalry with China, whose company DeepSeek has recently disrupted American industry leaders by offering lower-cost solutions.
Measures to boost energy supply
The National Council for Energy Dominance will be tasked with accelerating infrastructure development and removing bureaucratic hurdles slowing down the exploitation of energy resources. The stated goal is clear: to increase the United States’ energy independence and secure the necessary supply for technology companies.
One of the initiative’s top priorities is to facilitate the granting of permits for the exploitation of fossil and renewable resources. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, stated that “the only way to win is to have more electricity”, emphasizing the urgency of accelerating investments in production infrastructure.
An energy policy aligned with economic priorities
Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has launched multiple initiatives to revive national energy production. At the start of his term, he declared an “energy emergency”, aimed at increasing oil and gas extraction, particularly to curb domestic price hikes. This strategic shift, focused on expanding supply, also seeks to meet the growing needs of the tech sector.
Major digital companies have actively lobbied for greater access to energy, highlighting competitiveness concerns against Chinese and European rivals. With this new push, the U.S. administration aims to combine energy independence with technological leadership, in a race where electricity production capacity is emerging as a key differentiating factor.
