Exclusive: Trump adviser says AI ratepayer protection is a must in permitting deal

• But Democrats' demand for assurances that the administration won't impede renewable projects could strain those talks.

What he's saying: "There needs to be protection so that the AI development is not passed on to the ratepayer," Agen, Trump's National Energy Dominance Council director, told Axios' Amy Harder.

• "You cannot look at our grid and infrastructure without factoring that," he added.
• The data centers powering the AI boom — with massive amounts of energy — have emerged as a defining political issue with stark public opposition.

Friction point: A permitting deal isn't guaranteed.

• Schatz cautioned to Axios' Ben Geman Monday that lawmakers need to understand whether the administration is "going to lift its ban on solar and wind energy," citing the Pentagon's refusal to provide once-routine sign-offs on wind permits.

Yes, but: Agen said Tuesday that those reviews were "a rubber stamp" and that with advancements in the technology of threats, "You need to have check and balance on it, and so just rubber stamping every project ... is not good."

• Asked if the administration was willing to negotiate, Agen called Trump "the deal maker" and said he'd "let him negotiate what the deal is."

Go deeper: Exclusive: "Run the tape": Rep. Levin slams Trump over pledge to lower energy costs