Donald Trump is a reactionary on most economic issues, but he’s all in on AI. This is partly due to his strong connections with the techno-aristocracy and partly because he sees AI as the prize in an arms race with the Chinese.
AI creates economic and public welfare issues that greatly concern the reactionary base, but Trump doesn’t seem to care. They will undoubtedly be discussed at some length in the 2028 GOP primaries. In the short run, the soaring cost of electricity due to data center demands and the negative impacts on entry-level jobs give the blue team some opportunities with populist workers; going beyond that kind of criticism will be unnecessary in 2026. By 2028, however, the Democratic nominee will need a plan that encourages the development of AI, but subject to controls that will prevent it from becoming the tool of a handful of capitalists at the expense of everyone else.