As part of his America First agenda, President Donald Trump has unleashed the nation’s nuclear energy potential with a stroke of his pen.
Specifically, the president has signed multiple executive orders to dismantle the bureaucratic roadblocks that have stalled nuclear development for decades.
The bold move directly challenges the regulatory burden that has prevented the United States from fully harnessing clean nuclear power while China and Russia forge ahead with their own nuclear ambitions.
President Trump’s executive orders aim to overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which has only approved two operational reactors since 1978 due to excessive regulatory hurdles.
The thorough reform package will streamline licensing processes, expand uranium mining and enrichment, and allow the construction of reactors on federal land for defense facilities and AI data centers.
“It’s a hot industry. It’s a brilliant industry. You have to do it right,” President Trump declared during the signing ceremony.
He was surrounded by nuclear energy company CEOs and government officials who had long advocated for these changes.
The timing could not be more critical as America faces surging energy demands, particularly from power-hungry artificial intelligence technologies.
Under the new directives, reactor review and regulatory processes that previously dragged on for years will be sped up, with a goal of completing decision-making within 18 months.
President Trump’s orders also establish a framework for the Departments of Energy and Defense to build nuclear reactors on federal land.
The shift seeks to ensure that America’s military and technology sectors have access to reliable, consistent power.
“The problem in the industry has historically been regulatory delay,” said Constellation Energy CEO Joseph Dominguez.
Nuclear stocks rose immediately following the announcement, signaling market confidence in the president’s approach.
The initiative focuses primarily on advanced small reactors while also supporting large plant construction, creating a thorough strategy for nuclear expansion.
The administration is already reviewing potential restarts of mothballed nuclear plants, including Palisades in Michigan and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.
These facilities represent immediate opportunities to increase America’s nuclear capacity while new projects move forward under the streamlined regulatory framework.
Dominguez added that “some of the largest companies in the world…who need this energy for AI…are now working with us to fund the development and construction of the next generation (of) nuclear.”
While critics like former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz have expressed concerns about reducing the NRC’s independence, President Trump’s orders maintain the five-commissioner structure while eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic layers.
This balanced approach ensures safety while removing obstacles that have prevented America from realizing nuclear energy’s full potential.
President Trump also signed a fifth order to restore “gold standard science” in federal research, further cementing American leadership in science and technology.
