--- title: "Commerce Secretary Lutnick Contradicts Himself on Data Center Water Use" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-02T23:05:11.121Z" source_reported: "2026-09-02T21:55:40.000Z" updated: "2026-09-02T23:05:11.121Z" trust_score: 55 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 50 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-03T00:15:27.121940+00:00" --- # Commerce Secretary Lutnick Contradicts Himself on Data Center Water Use *Howard Lutnick claimed data centers do not use water, a statement contradicted by his own past remarks and industry estimates.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 55 of 100, higher is better. Only HuffPost's report provides named sources and direct quotes. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. No outlet quotes affected communities or opponents. - Hype 50 of 100, lower is better. Multiple outlets use loaded language like 'brazen lie' and 'disinformation'. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed data centers do not use water, describing concerns about usage as 'propaganda.' - HuffPost reported that Lutnick previously stated data centers 'suck water' and need water. - The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association estimated a medium-sized data center could use 100 million gallons of water annually. - A House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on data centers was scheduled for Thursday. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that data centers do not use significant amounts of water, calling concerns about their consumption 'propaganda by our adversaries to try to slow us down.' He made these remarks during an interview on CNBC. This statement contradicts remarks Lutnick made previously. HuffPost reported that Lutnick admitted to Fox News last year that data centers 'suck water' and need water. The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association has estimated that a medium-sized data center might require 100 million gallons of water per year. ## Conflicting statements on data center water usage During a CNBC interview, Howard Lutnick asserted that data centers do not use water, characterizing such claims as propaganda. In contrast, HuffPost reported that Lutnick told Fox News in the past that data centers 'suck water' and require it. The Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association has estimated that a medium-sized data center could consume 100 million gallons of water annually. ## What the coverage left out None of the left- or centre-rated reports mentioned the Trump administration's promotion of data centers or the banding together of ranching and farming communities with environmental groups to voice concerns, as reported by HuffPost. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 86% (6) - Centre: 14% (1) - Right: 0% (0) 1 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-03T00:15:27.121940+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-03T00:45:11.841Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports focused on the contradiction in Howard Lutnick's statements regarding data center water usage. Multiple outlets highlighted his recent claim that data centers do not use water, contrasting it with his previous admission to Fox News that they 'suck water.' HuffPost provided specific figures from the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association, estimating a medium-sized data center could use 100 million gallons of water annually. Common Dreams, Raw Story, and Mediaite also pointed to the resurfaced clip of Lutnick's earlier statement. Daily Kos stated that Lutnick 'will lie about anything.' Joe.My.God. quoted Lutnick's 'data centers don’t use water' remark and his 'propaganda' claim. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from The Hill led with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's claim that data centers 'don’t use water,' noting this was despite reports indicating significant usage. The Hill also mentioned that a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on data centers was scheduled for Thursday. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 5 - unknown: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [HuffPost](https://huffpost.com/entry/howard-lutnick-just-contradicted-howard-lutnick-on-ai-data-centers_n_6a987eabe4b0a45256189abd) — Howard Lutnick Hit With Receipts Over Contradictory Data Center Comments - [Common Dreams](https://commondreams.org/news/lutnick-data-centers) — Trump Commerce Secretary Once Said Data Centers ‘Suck Water,’ Now Scoffs That Such Concerns Are Just ‘Propaganda’ - [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/6067549-lutnick-ai-data-centers-water) — Lutnick claims that data centers, known for water consumption, ‘don’t use water’ - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/09/lutnick-claims-data-centers-dont-use-water-video) — Lutnick Claims Data Centers “Don’t Use Water” - [MASSIVE.NEWS](https://massive.news/disinformation-fuels-opposition-to-data-centers-says-commerce-secretary) — Disinformation Fuels Opposition to Data Centers, Says Commerce Secretary - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/lutnick-data-centers) — Trump official instantly ridiculed over flip-flop on data centers: ‘Is this parody?’ - [Daily Kos](https://dailykos.com/stories/2026/9/2/800092956/videos/howard-lutnick-commerce-secretary-lies) — Trump’s commerce secretary will lie about anything - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/media/tv/howard-lutnick-claims-data-center-critics-are-pushing-propaganda-gets-nailed-with-receipts-showing-he-pushed-the-very-same-talking-point) — Howard Lutnick Slapped with Receipts Over Odd AI Claim ## Questions **What did Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claim about data centers?** Howard Lutnick claimed that data centers do not use significant amounts of water, describing concerns about their water consumption as 'propaganda.' He made these remarks during a CNBC interview. **What evidence contradicts Lutnick's claim?** HuffPost reported that Lutnick previously admitted to Fox News that data centers 'suck water' and need water. Additionally, the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association estimated that a medium-sized data center could use 100 million gallons of water annually. **Was there a government hearing about data centers?** Yes, The Hill reported that a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing concerning data centers was scheduled to take place on Thursday. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Commerce Secretary Lutnick Contradicts Himself on Data Center Water Use", https://mediabias.news/business/commerce-secretary-lutnick-contradicts-himself-on-data-center-water-use