Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is picking a fight.
But this time it's not with the Democrats.
And Ron DeSantis just broke with Trump on one big issue that has Big Tech scrambling.
DeSantis Draws Line In Sand Over AI Data Centers
DeSantis used his final State of the State address on January 13 to warn Florida lawmakers that AI could "displace human beings as the central players on Earth's stage."
The outgoing Governor wants Florida to pass some of the strictest AI regulations in the country.
That puts him on a collision course with President Trump's executive order from December demanding states back off AI regulation.
Trump's order threatens to sue states and withhold $42 billion in federal broadband funding from any that pass "onerous" AI laws.
DeSantis fired back that an executive order can't legally override state legislatures.
"The President issued an executive order. Some people were saying well no, this blocks the states," DeSantis said at Florida Atlantic University. "It doesn't."
https://twitter.com/ReOpenChris/status/2000628301358837788?s=20
The U.S. Senate voted 99-1 to remove a ban on state AI regulations from federal legislation.
DeSantis thinks that shows where Congress actually stands.
Virginia's Nightmare Scenario
Virginia offers the horror story nobody wants to repeat.
Data centers consumed 26% of Virginia's total electricity supply in 2023, according to the Electric Power Research Institute.
Regular Virginians just got hit with rate increases adding $11.24 to monthly electric bills in 2026.
By 2040, data centers could drive up residential bills by $444 per year.
"This technology threatens to upend key parts of our economy in ways that can leave many Americans out of work and with consumers footing the bill for the cost of power-intensive data centers," DeSantis told Florida lawmakers Tuesday.
Palm Beach County residents know exactly what he means.
County commissioners faced over 50 angry residents at a December meeting about "Project Tango," a 202-acre data center complex.
The project got postponed until April after residents packed the hearing demanding answers.
https://twitter.com/GreenspansWager/status/2005137309063094379?s=20
DeSantis warned at an event in The Villages: "We have a limited grid. You do not have enough grid capacity in the United States to do what they're trying to do."
Florida Bill Would Ban Data Centers On Sensitive Lands
House Bill 1007 would ban "hyperscale" data centers on environmentally sensitive lands including agricultural, conservation, and residential areas.
The bill would require data centers to be built at least 500 feet from neighboring properties.
Public hearings would be mandatory before approval.
These centers can drain millions of gallons per day for cooling.
"Florida is a unique state with a fragile environment," Susan Glickman of the CLEO Institute told the Miami Herald. "The extreme water requirements and need for power generation for these centers are also unique and likely in conflict."
DeSantis made Everglades restoration a priority throughout his tenure.
Data centers sucking up massive amounts of water would destroy years of conservation work.
"You should not have to pay one dime more in utility costs, water, power, any of this stuff because these are some of the most wealthy companies in the history of humanity," DeSantis said.
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/2010926469665464421?s=20
Strange Political Bedfellows Emerge
Sanders called for a national moratorium on data center construction.
DeSantis is pushing Florida-specific restrictions.
Both are tapping into voter anger over rising electricity costs.
Virginia Democrat Abigail Spanberger won her gubernatorial race in a landslide after campaigning on utility bill increases caused by data centers.
Residential electricity prices are forecast to rise another 4% nationwide in 2026 after increasing about 5% in 2025, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.
With inflation crushing American families, nobody wants Big Tech passing infrastructure costs onto regular people.
Trump sided with DeSantis on one key point this week.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1996679744629461194?s=20
The President said tech giants must bear the costs for data center electricity.
"We've been beating this drum for months: no passing on electricity costs to consumers for AI data centers," DeSantis posted on X in response.
But that agreement doesn't resolve their collision over whether states can regulate the industry at all.
DeSantis believes Florida would win a court battle against the federal government.
"I don't anticipate that even happening against the stuff we're doing in Florida, but if it does, I think we would be well positioned to prevail on that," he said.
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott is rolling out the red carpet for data centers with over $50 billion in planned investments since November.
Florida is taking the opposite approach.
DeSantis is betting that protecting voters from higher utility bills and environmental damage beats Big Tech's promises of economic growth.
With his term ending this year, DeSantis is using his final months to set up a political fight that will define Florida's relationship with the AI industry for years to come.
Sources:
- The Miami Herald Editorial Board, "DeSantis has warned about AI data centers. Lawmakers can act — don't let us down," The Invading Sea, January 14, 2026.
- Drew Wilson, "Daniel Perez draws line on property taxes, presses Gov. DeSantis for details," Florida Politics, January 14, 2026.
- Emily J. Thompson, "DeSantis Calls for Stricter AI and Data Center Regulations, Warns of Economic Risks," Seeking Alpha, January 14, 2026.
- CNBC, "Bernie Sanders and Ron DeSantis speak out against data center boom," January 1, 2026.
- Bitcoin Ethereum News, "Florida Governor DeSantis challenges President Trump's AI deregulation push," January 14, 2026.
- WLRN, "DeSantis, Trump weigh impact of AI data centers as outrage builds in Palm Beach County," January 12, 2026.
- Orlando Sentinel, "Editorial: DeSantis proposes smart boundaries on runaway AI," January 13, 2026.
- American Action Forum, "Virginia's New Data Center Electricity Rate Class," January 2026.
- Inside Climate News, "Virginia Regulators Approve New Dominion Rates," January 7, 2026.
