Orpo dismisses concern over Trump criticism of Google investment
Tuesday 15th September 2026 on 14:01 in
Finland
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says he is not concerned about Donald Trump’s criticism of Google’s planned 13 billion euro investment in Finland, Yle reports. Trump has urged the technology company to build more data centres in the United States instead.
Google announced that it would build new data centres in Kajaani, Vaala and Muhos. The company also said it had signed a letter of intent with Fortum concerning a new nuclear power plant.
“I do not see that possibility,” Orpo told reporters at the Finnish Parliament on Tuesday, referring to the prospect of the project being cancelled. “They have major contracts and commitments to this investment.”
Jussi Kangasharju, a technology professor at the University of Helsinki, also said Trump’s comments were unlikely to affect the project.
“I would not take it too seriously. This has been prepared for many years. It would be quite strange if the project fell through because of a comment like this,” Kangasharju said.
Trump criticises US permitting
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Google wanted to build a massive facility in Finland because it considered the permitting process too difficult in the United States.
Trump has previously criticised regulation affecting technology companies in the US, saying it benefits China. He wants data centres to be built more quickly and in greater numbers, but in the United States.
Kangasharju said permitting processes in the US had been tightened more quickly than in Finland.
Data centre opposition unites US groups
Opposition to data centres has not become a popular movement in Finland, but concerns have grown in the United States. People have questioned whether there is enough electricity and water for the facilities, Kangasharju said.
In the US, opposition brings together people from different political backgrounds, including Trump voters, Democrats, and rural and urban residents. The Guardian has reported that three-quarters of Americans oppose developing local data centres.
Kangasharju said Finland’s cold climate was one factor attracting data centre projects, but added that the country’s infrastructure also functioned well. He said there were only a few locations in the world that were as suitable for data centres.