MAHA Figures Tell Trump and RFK Jr. That 'Data Centers Should Not Become the Justification for Burning More Coal'

Prominent figures in the Make America Healthy Again movement wrote to President Trump on Aug. 21 urging him not to expand coal-fired power to meet demand from AI data centers, saying "data centers should not become the justification for burning more coal." The letter cites soot, mercury and coal ash, and asks the administration to convene MAHA leaders, farmers and physicians to craft "health-first standards for AI infrastructure." Signers include Moms Across America founder Zen Honeycutt and Charles Eisenstein, a former adviser on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 campaign. It was copied to Kennedy, Lee Zeldin, Chris Wright and Brooke Rollins.

The letter marks a rift between a constituency the administration courts and its energy policy. An April 2025 executive order called coal "critical" to meeting rising data-center demand, and the Energy Department has announced hundreds of millions of dollars to retain coal-fired power.

White House deputy press secretary Taylor Rogers responded that the administration is "delivering while protecting our health and safety," citing emissions declines during Trump's first term.