VTV.vn – US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on February 14 establishing a new National Energy Council.
The National Energy Council has been tasked with meeting the massive electricity demand needed to win the artificial intelligence (AI) race against China.
During the executive order signing ceremony, President Trump declared to the press:
“We will dominate in energy. This goal doesn’t even include the enormous amount of electricity we’ll generate for all AI factories. These factories require at least double the electricity we currently have.”
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who attended the signing, added:
“America is in an AI race with China. The only way to win is to have more electricity.”
According to the White House, the National Energy Supremacy Council will coordinate energy policies among federal agencies and streamline the permitting, extraction, and distribution of energy resources.
US President Donald Trump, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in the Oval Office of the White House, February 14 (Photo: AFP)
This move aligns with Trump’s campaign pledge to boost domestic oil and gas production and reverse the previous administration’s concerns regarding carbon emissions and climate change.
The executive order also aims to counter potential risks of rising energy costs due to U.S. trade wars. If U.S. energy imports or exports are taxed, prices could surge sharply.
The electricity demand for the AI industry is rising dramatically as data centers put additional pressure on America’s already overloaded power grid. Investments in grid infrastructure have stalled for years, and many aging nuclear plants are being phased out, worsening the situation.
Tech CEOs have been actively urging the Trump administration to focus on the energy needs required for AI development.
Officials estimate that by 2028, technology companies may need up to 5 gigawatts of electricity for AI training — equivalent to the power supply for approximately 5 million households.
