Pressing Concerns Over Foreign Influence

In a recent letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, Senator Tom Cotton has urged the Justice Department to investigate a covert campaign allegedly linked to China, aimed at undermining America’s burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. The Arkansas Republican’s correspondence, directed to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, emphasizes the need for federal scrutiny into foreign actors who may be attempting to manipulate U.S. public sentiment and policy against the establishment of data centers and AI development.

Communist China’s Compromise Strategy

“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 stated in the letter. He went on to assert that Americans deserve to decide their own future without the interference of communist propaganda, advocating for the Justice Department to conduct a thorough investigation into these claims.

Chinese State Media and Advocacy Groups

Cotton’s appeal comes on the heels of a report released by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. The report alleges that a combination of Chinese state media, foreign-funded advocacy organizations, and a network of groups supported by American tech entrepreneur Neville Roy Singham have been involved in campaigns opposing U.S. data center construction and AI infrastructure projects for several years.

Singham, a self-identifying Marxist, resides in Shanghai after selling his technology company, Thoughtworks, in 2017. His activities have drawn increased scrutiny from congressional leaders and federal investigators. Earlier in the year, Fox News Digital published a series detailing how Singham has purportedly funneled $278 million into various nonprofits, many of which have been active in protesting against data centers and technology firms in the U.S.

Funding Controversies and Protests

Notable organizations within the Singham network, including CodePink, the People’s Forum, Tricontinental, and BreakThrough News, have reportedly led anti-AI campaigns and opposed semiconductor export controls. Singham’s investments in these groups began following his marriage to Jodie Evans, a co-founder of CodePink.

These groups have also collaborated with self-declared communist organizations in the U.S., such as the ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, orchestrating protests against major technology and defense companies like Palantir Technologies and Lockheed-Martin. Their campaigns often center on criticizing these companies’ associations with the U.S. government’s various geopolitical strategies.

Emerging Protests Against Data Centers

Recently, protests have emerged around rising electrical costs associated with operating data centers. Cottons’ recent legislative proposal, the “DATA Act of 2026,” seeks to eliminate regulatory barriers to constructing new energy systems for data centers and other industries, aiming to enhance America’s competitive edge in AI technology.

Legal and Legislative Actions

Simultaneously, lawmakers in both the Senate and House are investigating whether nonprofits affiliated with the Singham network should register as foreign agents. Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), entities acting in the interests of foreign entities must disclose their activities to the U.S. Justice Department.

“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 reiterated in his letter.

The “Red-Green-Green Alliance”

Experts warn of the ideological coalition forming among various activist movements—climate organizations, anti-Israel demonstrators, and more—united by anti-American sentiments and financial backing from Chinese interests. This coalition is being characterized as a “red-green-green alliance,” symbolizing the merging of communist, Islamist, and environmental activist agendas.

Cotton expressed that the trajectory of U.S. AI development could have profound implications for the nation’s economic strength, military power, and diplomatic sway. He cautioned against allowing foreign adversaries to manipulate public unease about energy consumption to impede U.S. technological progress.

Strategic Implications of AI Development

The Bitcoin Policy Institute’s report raises alarms concerning third-party influence in halting or delaying new AI-related infrastructure in the U.S. It highlights discrepancies between narratives promoted by media influenced by China and the actual subsidization practices of Chinese data center operators.

“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 claims.

A Call to Action

High-profile investors and policymakers have sounded the alarm that the U.S. must urgently bolster its computing infrastructure to remain competitive in AI technology. Billionaire investor Kevin O’Leary contends that modern data centers and power generation capabilities are critical assets in the global technology race.

The overarching concern echoed by Cotton, O’Leary, and various experts is that campaigns against U.S. AI infrastructure are framed in a way that inadvertently favors Beijing, reinforcing narratives aligned with Chinese interests at a critical moment in the geopolitical landscape.

Political Backlash

Earlier this year, an event organized by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez featured speakers closely affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, raising concerns and backlash from various sectors. Critics have noted the troubling implications of such affiliations, especially given the strategic importance of AI in the ongoing competition with China.