The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Episode 3548 – Uprising Against AI Data Centers; Sudan Torn Apart
Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Emma Vigeland (in for Sam Seder)
Guests: Miles Bryan (Vox), Dr. Khalid Madani (McGill University)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into two urgent topics: the growing nationwide backlash against AI data centers—massive industrial sites eating up resources and raising local opposition—and the ongoing, catastrophic civil war in Sudan. Senior producer Miles Bryan explains how communities across the US are resisting the unchecked spread of these AI infrastructure hubs. Later, Sudanese scholar Dr. Khalid Madani offers a thorough, impassioned account of Sudan’s descent into violence, exploring the war’s roots, regional proxy interests, and the humanitarian disaster unfolding largely unnoticed by the world. Throughout, the Majority Report crew balances news, analysis, and signature irreverent banter.

Section 1: US Politics, Venezuela, and the Trump Administration

Key Topics:

• Trump addresses the nation, blames Biden for the economy, and justifies foreign actions with blunt talk about oil
• Tensions with Venezuela escalate, with US military action and House war powers resolutions narrowly failing
• Broader GOP and right-wing policy developments: anti-trans bill, denaturalization orders, dark money in elections, etc.

Main Insights & Quotes:

• Trump is using direct, sometimes incoherent rhetoric: “No more narco terrorism, just we want the oil. That's what we're doing.” (Emma, 00:07)
• The House narrowly rejects attempts to restrain Trump’s Venezuela policy in a manner echoing past US interventions:

  “Yesterday, two separate resolutions in the House, war powers resolutions, attempting to kind of rein this in, failed. They failed very narrowly... And here is Representative Nadia Velasquez, who is retiring...” (Emma, 10:43)

Memorable Quotes:

• "The amount of incompetence might be the only thing that saves us." — Matt Binder (04:35)
• "He just declares it like when Michael Scott declared bankruptcy." — Emma Vigeland (05:55)
• "We want their oil reserves back. It doesn't matter about the sovereignty of the people of Venezuela or that Chevron..." — Emma Vigeland (09:16)

Notable Segment:

• [14:39]–[16:42] Rep. Nadia Velasquez’s floor speech comparing Venezuela justifications to Iraq War lies—a centerpiece of the anti-war critique.

Section 2: Community Uprising Against AI Data Centers

Interview with Miles Bryan (Vox, Today Explained) — Starts at [27:50]

Key Discussion Points:

• Massive expansion of AI data centers across US, often into post-industrial spaces (ex: old steel mills in Conshohocken, PA).
• Local backlash transcends standard political lines—residents organize against perceived environmental, economic, and quality-of-life harms.
• Data centers’ impacts include rapid increase in local electricity prices, water usage, and on-site pollution (often via natural gas turbines).
• The economic “pitch” to towns: tax revenue, no added school burden—but real skepticism over community benefit.
• Growing bipartisan political focus: Data centers are now critical campaign issues in places like New Jersey and Virginia.
• Pushback resulting in delays and cancellations—over $100B in projects on hold/cancelled in Q2 2025.

Key Insights & Quotes:

• “You just accept the box, you get the box, and in return, you get a lot of tax revenue. So that's the pitch.” — Miles Bryan (28:39)
• “AI created as much carbon pollution this year as New York City and guzzled up as much H2O as people consume globally in water bottles…” — Emma Vigeland quoting analysis (31:05)
• “The opposition comes from a generalized, NIMBY sense... But it’s glowing, humming, and near your house; you’re not thinking, ‘great for my school district’—you just don’t want the box.” — Miles Bryan (31:50)
• “What’s it doing for you now? Okay, you can make erotica on ChatGPT or generate a video with a Disney character, but is it making your life better?” — Miles Bryan (33:36)

Political Dynamics:

• Data center issues don't follow simple partisan lines—a new populist divide is emerging.
  • “It’s a populist attack line, you know, across our two parties.” — Miles Bryan (36:43)
  • Noted that even on the left, Bernie Sanders just called for a moratorium.

Notable Moments:

• [34:50] Example of a Democrat winning a Trump district by running against data centers.
• [39:34] Use of “dirtiest energy sources possible” due to a regulatory race and voracious AI demand.

Advice to Listeners:

• "If you... just Google where you are, Google your community, look it up, try to find if there is, you know, a data center project in the works, and you can voice opposition to that." — Emma Vigeland (41:11)

Resources Mentioned:

• Data Center Watch—database for tracking projects and opposition.
• Today Explained (Miles Bryan’s reporting).

Section 3: Deep Dive—Sudan’s Civil War & Its Global Context

Interview with Dr. Khalid Madani (McGill University) — Begins at [43:48]

A. Historical Background & Roots of the Conflict

Key Timeline:

• 1989: Establishment of the current authoritarian state via military coup backed by the Islamist movement.
• 2000s: Genocide in Darfur, creation of Janjaweed militias—later become the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
• 2011: South Sudan secedes; Sudan loses most oil revenue, turning to gold exports.
• 2018-2019: Popular democratic revolution ousts autocratic regime.
• 2023: Civil war begins, sparked by rivalry between SAF (Sudan Armed Forces) and RSF.

Key Structural Factors:

• Longstanding “coup-proofing”: paramilitary militias created to suppress both regional insurgency and urban protest movements.
• Economic monopolies and resource competition—current conflict predicated on control over remaining gold, land, future resources.

Quote:

"This is essentially a war against civ[ilians]... a long way of trying to explain... why these two factions are basically butchering the population." — Dr. Madani (45:08) "I'm always asked, who's the good guy and who's the bad guy? This war is very different... both protagonists are at fault." (46:19)

B. Role of Regional and Global Powers (Proxy War Layer)

• UAE and Saudi Arabia: Early and ongoing support—funding, arming, and logistically backing different factions (UAE with RSF, both previously hired Sudanese mercenaries for Yemen).
• Egypt: Supports SAF to protect Nile water flow and ensure Sudanese stability as a buffer.
• US & EU: Have largely subcontracted Sudan policy to regional powers, forming a "quad." US influence in steep decline.
• China: Brokered rapprochements, increasingly involved in regional alignments.
• The “Resource Curse”: Profound regional competition for gold, ports (Red Sea), arable land.

  “Sudan is the third largest exporter of gold in Africa, the 12th largest in the world.” (59:36)

Quote:

“The US essentially subcontracts its policy with respect to Sudan and the Horn of Africa to the real powers in the region... Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.” — Dr. Madani (58:48)

C. The War Today: Violence, Narratives, Humanitarian Disaster

• Both SAF and RSF commit mass atrocities, civilian slaughter, displacement, sexual violence—no “good side.”
• Both wield public relations campaigns claiming to be defenders of the people or revolution; in reality, both are “outgrowths from the same rotten foundation.” — Emma (70:14)
• Recent Yale satellite analysis confirms mass graves, body disposal, systematic destruction to conceal war crimes, sieges causing famine reminiscent of Gaza.

Quote:

“If you itemize everything that you in your show have followed in Gaza, it is the same infrastructural destruction, the same displacement, the same induced famine is what we’re seeing [in Sudan].” — Dr. Madani (74:30)

• Human displacement:
  • “Displacement within the country is 12 million. About a million in Ethiopia, 2 million that fled to Egypt, a million and a half in South Sudan.” (82:41)
  • "At least... what we know, it's an underestimation, 300,000 dead in Darfur alone." (82:41)

D. Larger Lessons: Neocolonialism and the Disillusionment with Democracy

• Western and regional powers perpetuate crisis by excluding Sudanese civil society from negotiations, supporting autocracy for resource access.

• "We are still drawing borders on the continent of Africa based on colonial ambitions less than 15 years ago." — Emma Vigeland (78:34)

• Dr. Madani on democracy:

  "When I see coverage that disparages the possibility of democracy in Africa, I find that really racialized and problematic." (79:01)

E. Recommended Resources

• Dr. Madani’s recent primer: "Militants and the Authoritarian Legacies and the Political Economy of War in Sudan" (American Political Science Association).
• Democracy Now! interview (shorter version).
• Dr. Madani's website.

Notable Moments & Quotes

• On US Media & Policy:

  "The opposition party, they've been unable to show this contradiction [in foreign policy] in any real meaningful way." — Emma Vigeland (16:42)

• On AI Data Centers:

  "It's a populist attack line, you know, across our two parties." — Miles Bryan (36:43)

• On Sudan:

  "No family or individual in Sudan has not been victimized by the Rapid Support Forces. All of us lost our homes... imagine overnight losing your home and the militias come in and basically take over everything." — Dr. Madani (72:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:07 — Opening headlines, Venezuela segment
• 14:39 — Rep. Nadia Velasquez anti-war speech
• 27:50 — Miles Bryan interview: AI data center backlash starts
• 33:36 — Impact on electricity rates, quality of life
• 34:50 — Political campaigns using data centers as an issue
• 39:34 — Environmental impacts and energy sourcing
• 43:48 — Dr. Khalid Madani interview: Sudan conflict deep dive
• 45:08 — Sudan’s historical context
• 51:05 — Foreign power involvement in Sudan
• 66:33 — How Sudan’s civil war reignited in 2023
• 72:47 — Atrocities and mass displacement in Sudan today
• 82:41 — Death tolls, regional displacement
• 86:19 — Further reading, resources, episode wrap

Summary Tone & Style

Throughout, the Majority Report maintains its critical, independent voice—mixing sharp policy analysis, on-the-ground reporting, irreverent conversation, and leftist perspectives on global events. The hosts and guests are direct, often critical, sometimes humorous, and unafraid to call out contradictions in both US and international policy.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This episode offers a clear, detailed look at two rapidly evolving stories with national and global stakes. If you care about how new technologies reshape American communities—or want to understand the complex, tragic, and geopolitically entwined war tearing apart Sudan—this episode delivers both urgent summaries and the broader context that mainstream coverage often misses.