Trump Expands 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge' as Data Center Power Demand Grows

Tom's Hardware reported that Trump first outlined the promise in late February during the State of the Union address, then hosted major AI companies, including Meta, Amazon, and OpenAI, at the White House the following week over their power requirements. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in March that the effort "will deliver more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people," according to Tom's Hardware. At the recent event, Trump said electricity bills for American families would come down.

Tom's Hardware noted that the March promise has so far had little to no effect on electricity rates. It reported that PJM Interconnection, the largest grid operator in the U.S., raised power costs by 75.5% and issued Maryland a $2-billion bill for infrastructure upgrades.

Xbox revenue slipped 2% to $5.38 billion in Microsoft's latest quarter, with hardware down 14%. Executives blamed supply constraints and shifts in content sales.