Trump Urges Google to Move $15 Billion Finland Investment to US

President Donald Trump urged Google to rethink its plan to invest €13 billion ($15.1 billion) in Finland's digital infrastructure, expressing dissatisfaction that the company is moving the investment abroad due to permitting difficulties in the United States. Trump characterized artificial intelligence as the greatest economic development engine in history and dismissed warnings that the technology could threaten humanity as a "HOAX."

Google announced the investment on September 13, marking its largest single commitment in Europe. Scheduled for 2027 and 2028, the funding will expand data center capacity for Gemini, Search, Maps, and YouTube in the regions of Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala. To power the expansion, Google signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Fortum to acquire up to 50% of the Loviisa nuclear power plant's generation capacity between 2030 and 2049, supplemented by onshore wind and battery systems.

Google estimates the project will support over 37,000 construction jobs and contribute €3.6 billion annually to Finland's GDP. While the investment is viewed as a diplomatic victory for Finnish President Alexander Stubb, opposition politicians in Finland have urged their government to implement a national licensing scheme for data centers to prevent electricity shortages and rising energy costs for consumers.