Blankfein Says Data Center Opposition Aids China

Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein argues U.S. resistance to data center builds hands an advantage to China.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Data Centers

Blankfein Says Data Center Opposition Aids China

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Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein posted on X that opposition to data center projects across the United States is a gift to China. Analyst Patrick Moorhead agreed that U.S. hesitation will shift construction and jobs abroad.

Why it matters

Blankfein argues that decades of declining U.S. industrial capacity have hurt the middle class and national security, and that data center development could help rebuild it. Citi Research data on rising bans and pauses suggests the debate is intensifying across the country.

Citi Research data shows U.S. data center bans and pauses rose from near zero in mid-2025 to more than 500 by October 2026. Dan Ives estimates that 10% of planned U.S. data centers will not happen now, though the extraction does not detail his methodology.

The players

Lloyd Blankfein

Former chief executive of Goldman Sachs who has been a prominent voice on U.S. industrial policy and finance.

Patrick Moorhead

Technology analyst who comments frequently on the semiconductor and data center industries.

Dina Powell McCormick

President of Meta Platforms who has been involved in the company's government and policy relations.

Dan Ives

Wedbush Securities analyst known for his coverage of technology stocks and the AI infrastructure buildout.

The details

Blankfein expressed his view in a post on X on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Moorhead cited a conversation with a tech CEO who said projects would be built in Ohio or West Virginia if Texas became a problem, and Meta Platforms President Dina Powell McCormick said a newly elected governor sought to retain Meta's investment.

mid-2025: U.S. data center bans and pauses began rising from near zero.
October 2026: Bans and pauses exceeded 500.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Alphabet announced a $15 billion Malaysia data center investment.
Thursday, November 5, 2026: Blankfein posted on X about data center opposition.

Industry Landscape

Citi Research's count of U.S. data center bans and pauses rising past 500 by October 2026 marks a sharp escalation from near zero in mid-2025. The debate now pits domestic industrial rebuilding against the risk that construction and jobs migrate to rivals such as China and Malaysia.

Local bans and pauses on data center projects can change where new facilities get built and which communities gain construction and jobs. Residents in states weighing these measures may see shifts in local employment and infrastructure planning.

The takeaway

Watch how state and local data center restrictions evolve, since they will shape where the next generation of U.S. computing infrastructure is built. Tracking permit decisions in your region offers an early view of those shifts.