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Fox Business
Fox Business Network host Dagen McDowell has sparked a debate online after urging her co-hosts to replace their real Christmas trees with fake ones in order to support the development of AI data centres.
The discussion arose on Friday’s broadcast, with the topic of a proposed 67-mile transmission line being built along a path which contains a Christmas tree farm in Maryland.
The line is a $424 million project that would power AI data centres. However, farmers have stated that the impact on them would be devastating.
Host McDowell said: “They’re trying to blame AI, it’s not AI, it’s something else. It’s called growth and development of business.”
The presenter went on: “If there is a need for electricity generation and a conduit like power lines to bring electricity to a densely populated area of business and growth like northern Virginia, then it is not about AI, it is about economic growth for the United States, number one.
“Number two, it is a tree farm, not growing food. The alternative would be, some liberals put some giant solar panels on that land, and you won’t be growing any Christmas trees either.”
Her co-host Brian Brenberg argued: “I’ve seen these; they are gross-looking. This farm is going to lose all of its aesthetic appeal as a part of this.”
Pushing back, McDowell said: “Everybody needs to get on board. I just don’t — You know what? Buy a fake tree!”
The comments have sparked a debate online. One social media user wrote: "This obsession with technology that isnt even that good, is wildly inefficient, and wastes tons of finite resources makes no sense to me."
Another highlighted the importance of family tradition, writing: "The tradition of taking your kids or family to the tree farm to cut down your own tree which you then decorate later with your said family."
One more posted a picture of a father with young children taking a Christmas tree home, commenting: "There's no replacement for this. Once it's gone, it's gone."
Commentator Richard Angwin wrote: "Fox News declaring war on real Christmas trees to feed Big Tech's data center greed, nothing says 'holiday spirit' like sacrificing traditions for corporate profits!"
Others posted memes about the comments - with people having plenty to say.
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