02/15/2026
ttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-trade-adviser-navarro-says-administration-may-force-data-center-builders-like-meta-to-internalize-costs/ar-AA1WpQUD?uxmode=ruby&ocid=edgdhpruby&pc=DCTS&cvid=69923da27bc94df6b6a87c2896604edd&ei=20
Trump trade adviser Navarro says administration may force data center builders like Meta to ‘internalize’ costs
Story by Garrett Downs
Feb 15
- President Donald Trump’s trade and manufacturing adviser Peter Navarro said on Sunday that the White House may force data center builders to absorb utility costs.
- Data centers powering artificial intelligence are straining the U.S. electricity grid and raising consumers’ electric and water bills.
- The potential move comes as Trump’s handling of the economy continues to sink in the polls, as voters grow concerned about “affordability.”
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro speaks to members of the media near the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 21, 2025.
Watch CNBC’s full interview with Peter Navarro
President Donald Trump‘s trade and manufacturing adviser, , said on Sunday that the White House may force data center builders to absorb their costs as voters continue to sour on the economy and utility prices soar.
“All of these data center builders, Meta on down, need to pay for all, all of the costs,” Navarro said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “They need to pay, not only pay for the electricity that they’re using on the grid, but they have to pay for the resiliency that they’re affecting as well. They need to pay for the water. So there’s activity, action here going forward, where we force them to internalize the cost.”
Navarro did not detail what the White House’s plan to force data center builders to internalize costs would look like. CNBC has reached out to the White House for clarification.
When asked about Navarro’s remarks, a Meta spokesperson said the company already pays for all of its energy usage.
“Meta pays the full costs for energy used by our data centers so they aren’t passed onto consumers — and we go beyond that by paying for new and upgraded local infrastructure as well as adding new power to the grid,” the spokesperson said.
Data centers and their drag on utilities are part of the affordability problem. Electricity prices spiked 6.9% year over year in 2025 and show little sign of easing. Navarro sought to pin the blame for soaring costs on former President Joe Biden, who left office over a year ago.
“I just want to assure people that we’re on it, we also feel your pain,” Navarro said. “We understand the ravages that inflation took on you because of Joe Biden’s irresponsibility, but we are addressing that with economic policy that ultimately will make wages rise faster than the inflation rate, and that’s the key to affordability.”
But Americans increasingly blame the Trump administration for rising costs. As the November 2026 midterms approach, polls consistently find Trump underwater on the economy. Democrats are pounding Trump and the Republicans on affordability, arguing that everyday goods and services have grown too expensive. Democrats have taken a 5.2 point lead in the generic ballot ahead of the November midterm elections that could loosen Trump’s grip on Washington, according to polling averages from RealClearPolitics.
While Navarro sought to blame the former president’s administration for Americans’ struggle with affordability, Trump himself has said he’s “very proud” of the state of the economy. In an interview with “NBC Nightly News” that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday, the president was asked, “At what point are we in the Trump economy?”
“I’d say we’re there now,” he replied.
The Trump administration has recently taken steps to address the strain on data center electricity and rising utility costs.
Several states and the White House signed a pact in January urging the nation’s largest grid operator, PJM Interconnection, to make big technology companies pay for new power plants on the system. PJM operates the grid in some of the most data center-heavy areas in the U.S., including northern Virginia and New Jersey.
The pact called for $15 billion in new generation capacity within PJM, to be financed by tech companies, and urged the operator to hold an emergency auction to procure the power. The move comes as the administration simultaneously fights offshore wind projects in the Northeast, some of which are fully permitted or under construction.
“Perhaps no region in America is more at risk than in PJM,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said after the announcement. “That’s why President Trump asked governors across the Mid-Atlantic to come together and call upon PJM to allow America to build big reliable power plants again.”
POLITICO last week reported on a draft compact that the White House wants tech companies to sign to ensure data centers don’t affect consumers’ utility bills.
Trump said last month on Truth Social that he had struck a deal with Microsoft “to ensure that Americans don’t ‘pick up the tab’ for their POWER consumption, in the form of paying higher Utility bills.” The president added that his administration was negotiating with other tech giants and that there would be “More to come soon!”
Microsoft pledged last month not to raise utility costs near its data centers, and to replenish water used by the centers.
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WordPress just tried to erase this whole page. I feel “WHIP LASH” for sure. They replaced my whole paragraph.
KOMMONSENTSJANE – Michael Burry Warning About a Possible 2026 Crash.
Posted on February 13, 2026 by kommonsentsjane
02/15/2026
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Curated by Copilot
The Copilot needs to go back to the drawing board and solve the problem rather than create a panic problem. I thought that is why we hired him to fix problems?
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The following is curated by the COPILOT.
Historic signals warn of looming market slump
Multiple historic indicators, including the near-record Shiller P/E ratio, point to a possible major stock market downturn in 2026. Analysts warn that overvaluation, an AI investment bubble, political uncertainty from upcoming midterms, and Federal Reserve divisions could amplify volatility. While short-term risks are high, historical data shows long-term investors often recover strongly from market corrections.
Shiller P/E ratio signals rare dangerAI investment surge may mask risks Federal Reserve split raises policy doubts Long-term investors may weather volatility
Shiller P/E ratio signals rare danger
The S&P 500’s Shiller CAPE Ratio closed at 40.35 on Feb. 11, its second-highest level since 1871, trailing only the dot-com bubble peak. Historically, CAPE readings above 30 have preceded significant market corrections, with past instances leading to 20% or greater losses in major indexes. While timing is uncertain, analysts caution that such extended valuations have rarely been sustainable. 12
History suggests the S&P 500 could plunge in 2026. Here’s why.
AI investment surge may mask risks
Artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented corporate spending, with tech giants investing heavily in data center infrastructure. However, analysts warn that optimization of AI for profit could take years, similar to the internet’s adoption curve. If the AI bubble bursts, the same companies fueling market gains could trigger a sharp downturn.
Federal Reserve split raises policy doubts
The Fed is experiencing rare internal divisions, with recent meetings showing members pushing for both larger and smaller rate cuts. This discord, coupled with Jerome Powell’s pending departure and President Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next chair, has raised concerns about the Fed’s independence and policy direction. Markets currently expect rates to remain on hold in the near term, with gradual easing later in 2026.1
Money Digest·
Why the next pick for Fed chair actually matters more than you think
Long-term investors may weather volatility while short-term market risks are elevated, historical data shows that bear markets are often brief compared to longer-lasting bull runs. Past crashes, including those in 2020 and 2025, resolved within days to weeks, and healthy companies tend to recover strongly. Analysts recommend focusing on fundamentally sound stocks to withstand potential downturns.
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Now, where are the people from the departments of the government in charge of our economy? It is time to hear from them. As many of these boomerangs as we have been through – why are we just waiting for it to happen instead of “solving the problem by constantly harassing the public with these statements when people are already put in dire situations with their lives?
Fix the problem, now – not after it happens. Whoever put the country in this fix needs to fix it or be fired. It has happened too many times.
There is a law against causing people to panic. The co-pilot is there to help. Maybe it needs to have a physical and who knows maybe his driver or chips need to be replaced. Was the problem caused by the Magnificent 7 over-spending – then they need to adjust by adding from their personal funds and fix it before it crashes.
Calm and prayer are the answer. The co-pilot needs to bring results not warnings..
kommonsentsjane
kommonsentsjane 