Sen. Tom Cotton is urging the Justice Department to probe a coordinated effort tied to China that he says aims to cripple America’s AI build-out, pointing to reports about foreign-funded networks and a Washington think tank’s findings that link Chinese influence to campaigns against data centers and related infrastructure.
Senator Cotton wrote directly to the Acting Attorney General asking for a federal look into whether foreign actors are shaping U.S. policy and public opinion to slow down data center and AI construction. He frames this as a national security threat in the race with Beijing for AI dominance, and he wants investigators to follow the money and messaging. “Recent reports show that Communist China is attempting to influence our policy and public opinion on data centers. The reason is obvious: they want to kneecap our processing power to win the AI race,” Cotton said.
That appeal follows a report from the Bitcoin Policy Institute alleging a coordinated set of influences: Chinese state media, foreign-funded advocacy groups, and a network tied to Neville Roy Singham. The report claims these forces have worked for years to build opposition in the United States to large-scale computing and AI projects. The institute says the network “has spent nearly five years producing parallel domestic content opposing U.S. AI infrastructure, AI labs, and AI export controls.”
Much of the money and organization highlighted in these accounts centers on nonprofits and advocacy groups that, critics say, have mounted protests and messaging campaigns against data centers and semiconductor policies. Neville Roy Singham, who now lives abroad, is profiled as a major funder driving these efforts, and his backers are accused of coordinating messaging that mirrors foreign state narratives. Cotton’s view reflects a clear Republican concern that domestic activism can be weaponized by adversaries.
Investigators and lawmakers are also asking whether these organizations should register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act when they act on behalf of foreign interests. Senate and House members have opened inquiries into nonprofit networks to determine whether foreign funding is improperly influencing U.S. debates on infrastructure. “Alarming reports indicate that a network of foreign actors, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is attempting to manipulate U.S. policy and public opinion on data centers,” Cotton wrote in his letter.
On the ground, protests against data centers often lean on rising electricity costs and environmental concerns to rally local opposition. Opponents point to higher utility bills and water usage as reasons to block projects, and those themes have been amplified by groups tied together through shared messaging. Cotton warns that these local debates are being exploited by foreign actors to slow down strategic investments.
The accused network has reportedly partnered with hard-left organizations and self-described communist groups that mobilize volunteers and organize demonstrations against major tech and defense contractors. That alliance, critics say, links disparate causes into a single campaign targeting U.S. technology resilience. Cotton says public debate should be free from foreign influence and propaganda: “Americans should decide their own future free of communist propaganda. I’m encouraging the Department of Justice to investigate,” he said.
Beyond protests, policy moves are on the table. Cotton earlier proposed the “DATA Act of 2026” to loosen regulatory barriers so energy-intensive industries can build separate power systems and keep vital infrastructure from being hamstrung by local grid politics. Business leaders and investors warn that America risks falling behind if it allows regulation or orchestrated opposition to stall data center growth. High-profile voices in finance and tech argue expanded computing and power capacity are strategic needs in this global contest.
The Bitcoin Policy Institute report also emphasizes a stark contrast: while Beijing’s media portrays U.S. data centers as environmentally harmful, China’s state support for its own AI facilities includes heavy subsidies. “While Beijing’s state media warns American audiences that data centers are environmentally and economically dangerous, the Chinese state subsidizes up to half of the energy costs of its own AI data center operators,” the report states. That discrepancy is central to the concern about asymmetric tactics in the AI race.
Cotton’s push for a DOJ probe sits alongside broader Republican efforts to spotlight foreign influence and demand accountability. Lawmakers want transparency about where messaging comes from and whether American discourse on critical technology is being skewed by foreign agendas. The debate is heating up as officials try to protect U.S. technological edge without shutting down legitimate civic concerns.
Public events and policy talks have also drawn controversy after some forums included speakers with ties to Beijing institutions, stoking bipartisan unease about influence and access. Critics say those appearances underscore why more scrutiny is needed on how foreign narratives enter American halls of debate and policymaking. The stakes are framed plainly: control of computing power is now a strategic battlefield, and opponents of expanded infrastructure may be doing more than just protesting local projects.
The concern is that a sustained campaign to delay or block AI infrastructure will hand China an unintended advantage by slowing the U.S. ability to scale computing for advanced systems. Policymakers and investors are watching closely as legal and legislative steps play out, and Cotton’s letter makes clear Republicans intend to press the Justice Department for answers on foreign meddling. “Alarming reports indicate that a network of foreign actors, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is attempting to manipulate U.S. policy and public opinion on data centers,” he wrote again to underscore the urgency.
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