Elon Musk committed abuses against local areas and citizens in Memphis regarding data centers.
Posted by On with Kara Swisher, Checked
- Sources
- 1 contradict5 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 55%
On with Kara SwisherAug 10, 2026
Multiple tier-1 and tier-2 sources document Musk-linked xAI operations in Memphis drawing allegations of unpermitted gas turbines, air pollution, and noise harming nearby Black neighborhoods, so the claim's substance is directionally supported. However, these are allegations in pending lawsuits, not adjudicated findings, so 'abuses' is a characterization the sources support only as alleged.
A guest makes this claim. Listeners heard it, so it counts against the post, and on the guest's own record.
What was said
… That was a nice message. Or, get used to it, too bad if you lose your jobs. How, what's, where do you blame the enthusiasm gap? Because it's, it's a real thing, and data centers, to me, is the proxy for it, uh, of the anger. It's a proxy, and abuses, like actual abuses by, say, Elon in Memphis, those are real abuses of local areas and and local citizens. But go ahead. So, I'd, um, overwhelmingly, I think the blame is with probably two people, actually, um, the kind of, you know, double A boy, whatever we want to call them, Altman and Amadei. …
On with Kara Swisher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. Reuters reports that xAI allegedly operated nearly 20 gas turbines at its Memphis data center without obtaining required air permits, per a Southern Environmental Law Center letter to regulators.[1]
Supports. The NAACP, SELC, and Earthjustice lawsuit alleges the xAI plant violates the Clean Air Act, with the facility projected to be a major source of smog-forming nitrogen oxides in the Memphis area.[3][4]
Supports. A federal class action filed in September 2026 alleges relentless noise and vibration from unpermitted gas turbines, with turbines expanded from three to 69 in a year.[5]
Supports. CNN reports the company's installation of dozens of gas-powered turbines angered residents, and Memphis council members rejected a moratorium amid protests over the data centers' effects.[6]
Contradicts. The Justice Department argued Mississippi, not the federal government, is responsible for permits and that Mississippi 'decided no permit was required,' a contested point that the court has not resolved on the merits.[2]
Context. A court rejected the Trump administration's attempt to dismiss the pollution lawsuit, so the merits remain unresolved and no authority has found the abuse allegations baseless.[3]
Sources
6 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 4 not rated
- 1Musk's xAI operating gas turbines without permits at data ...reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2In boost to Musk, Justice Department seeks to dismiss air pollution lawsuit against xAI data centerapnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
- 3Court Tosses Trump's Clumsy Attempt To Scuttle Musk Memphis Data Center Pollution Lawsuittechdirt.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 4Why the NAACP is suing xAI » Yale Climate Connectionsyaleclimateconnections.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Memphis residents file noise complaint against Elon ...actionnews5.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Memphis leaders reject contentious 18-month pause on new data center developmentcrossroadstoday.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Elon Musk operated a gas-powered data center in Memphis, Tennessee, that harmed citizens.True
- Elon Musk sells user data.True
- Elon Musk has contributed approximately 230 million dollars to the Republican Party for the 2026 election.Mixed
- Elon Musk purchased Twitter because he viewed it as a threat to his power.Can’t tell
- Elon Musk is putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the next elections.True