Meta eyes global expansion for its $145 billion AI push after Democrat wins: Is America losing the data centre race?

Meta is weighing a bigger international data centre footprint as political resistance threatens to slow its ambitious artificial intelligence expansion in the US. Following Democrat win in the US Midterm elections 2026, the Mark Zuckerberg-led tech giant faces tougher questions over where it can build the infrastructure needed to power its next generation of AI services.

Dina Powell McCormick, Meta's president, acknowledged that securing approval for new data centre projects in the US was likely to become more difficult.

However, she indicated that the US midterm election results may not close the door on investment, with some newly elected politicians appearing open to discussions with technology companies.

Speaking at the Wall Street Journal's Tech conference on Wednesday, Powell McCormick said opposition to data centres had featured prominently in campaign advertising and exit polls, although she attributed the Democratic victories to several factors.

She also shared an example of a governor-elect who had campaigned against data centres but was already open to a conversation with the company. According to Powell McCormick, the incoming governor wanted to meet after taking office, recognising that the state could miss out on valuable investment and jobs if the projects moved elsewhere.

US midterm elections put Meta data centre plans under pressure

The comments highlight the challenge facing Meta as communities and politicians increasingly scrutinise the expansion of energy-intensive data centres.

Powell McCormick expects authorities to take a closer look at new data centre proposals, making it harder for companies to get fresh projects off the ground. Expanding facilities that are already up and running may be easier, however, as these companies have had time to build trust with local communities and show how their investments can bring jobs and other economic benefits.

Sayantani Biswas