# Expert Available: Foreign Adversaries and the Fight Over U.S. Data Centers 

AI competition is global.

July 10, 2026 • News Releases 

Following [recent reporting](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.nytimes.com*2F2026*2F07*2F09*2Fbusiness*2Fchina-russia-ai-data-centers.html*3Funlocked_article_code=1.wlA.5B1Z.nkwJJ3B9MRbf%26smid=nytcore-ios-share/1/0100019f4c79be12-1899070c-b8c7-49a4-8764-3111f4457c1f-000000/kk1MdHtIuJPL2R7QMu25v65Ax0M=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOmI0MzczMDA1NDY0MmY2MmJiZjMxMzJlZDliM2ZhMjg5Ojc6ZTI0MDpmOWY3MTlhNzcwMzM1Y2RkZTVkODMwOTRkYWE5YWY4ZWM3YWEzMWI2NTg4ZDE0YmU0OGEzODRiNjFkMzIyY2ZhOmg6VDpO) detailing how China, Russia, and Iran have sought to use state media outlets to influence controversy over data centers in the United States, [Jennifer Huddleston](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Fpeople*2Fjennifer-huddleston/1/0100019f4c79be12-1899070c-b8c7-49a4-8764-3111f4457c1f-000000/6xF-SuSweN1nVm-gBCgRdfjW88w=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOmI0MzczMDA1NDY0MmY2MmJiZjMxMzJlZDliM2ZhMjg5Ojc6YzRlODo3MTU3MGE0MzQ4YjQzZGUzOTAyZTQxMWIyZGQxYjljNzFmOTcwN2Q0ZGU2NzI3ZjEyOGQ0OGVlZWY1YWQ1ZGEwOmg6VDpO), a senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute, released a statement:

> *“AI competition is global. While the U.S. is a leader, it is not alone in developing this important technology. Infrastructure, including data centers, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship, is needed not only for AI but also for both our current data needs and next-generation technologies like quantum computing. It is highly concerning, though not surprising, for adversaries to seek to delay the buildout of and disrupt the infrastructure that supports American innovators’ success.”*

Huddleston’s previous work on Data Centers:

- [Derailing Data Centers Harms More than Just AI](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Fblog*2Fderailing-data-centers-harms-more-just-ai/1/0100019f4c79be12-1899070c-b8c7-49a4-8764-3111f4457c1f-000000/ZglzGlbqqiLw90iRZFIDUSg3xBE=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOmI0MzczMDA1NDY0MmY2MmJiZjMxMzJlZDliM2ZhMjg5Ojc6MzVkZDpiNTMxNTU2NDkwY2NmOTA2Y2FmZDM0NzgwZWUyYzc2NzZiY2VlZThiMzVkZjlmNzg2YjdiOTM1YzUzYWE3YzQyOmg6VDpO)
- [Data Centers Turn Electricity into Breakthroughs | Cato Podcast](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Fmultimedia*2Fcato-podcast*2Fdata-centers-turn-electricity-breakthroughs/1/0100019f4c79be12-1899070c-b8c7-49a4-8764-3111f4457c1f-000000/4_fIrYxkW9L0uVnLmxzcXTVLQBY=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOmI0MzczMDA1NDY0MmY2MmJiZjMxMzJlZDliM2ZhMjg5Ojc6NjFkODo1YzczOGVlNDhlZjJlNzc1N2U1NmIxYzk1ODU1OTUwMWIyZGNlN2YzYjNmODg0ODYxMzQxNmMwODg2MzRmZDk0Omg6VDpO)
- [Should There Be a Dilemma About Data Centers? | Policy Forum](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Fevents*2Fshould-there-be-dilemma-about-data-centers/1/0100019f4c79be12-1899070c-b8c7-49a4-8764-3111f4457c1f-000000/fT5SmOb-5sWJBWWN8VOajMz2QlQ=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOmI0MzczMDA1NDY0MmY2MmJiZjMxMzJlZDliM2ZhMjg5Ojc6NDc4Nzo4YWJiZDQ3ZGYzYWRhMWNlMTE0ODgxOGNjYjk1OWNlYzMyMTlmMzhjOGI0MzExMjgxY2MzY2ZlMjA0N2Y5ZTkxOmg6VDpO)

To speak with Huddleston, contact [Christopher Tarvardian](mailto:ctarvardian@cato.org).

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