Trump Issues Executive Orders to Strengthen U.S. Nuclear Energy Sector
Former President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders aimed at revitalizing nuclear energy in the United States. These directives seek to accelerate the construction of new reactors and enhance the domestic mining and processing of uranium—a fuel source the U.S. largely imports.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated, “We’re signing major executive orders today that will position us as a global leader in nuclear energy.” The administration’s focus includes easing regulatory hurdles and promoting the development of smaller, advanced reactors that are especially appealing to energy-intensive industries such as technology and artificial intelligence.
Among the key changes is a restructuring of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to ensure quicker decision-making on reactor applications, targeting an 18-month review window. While concerns about nuclear safety remain, Trump insisted that the process would remain both “fast and safe.”
The orders mark a significant shift as nuclear energy garners renewed interest across the country. Despite high construction costs and lingering public concerns—especially after the 2011 Fukushima disaster—momentum is growing. Michael Kratsios, who headed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, hailed the move as a landmark step toward a “nuclear renaissance” in America.
A senior official noted that the administration aims to test and deploy next-generation reactors before the end of a potential second Trump term in January 2029. The orders intend to reduce regulatory obstacles and shorten the timeline for new nuclear projects, transforming how the NRC functions.
Trump had previously declared an "energy emergency" to expand fossil fuel development and reverse climate measures introduced under President Joe Biden. However, the growing demand for clean energy—driven in part by companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft seeking zero-emission power—has led to a broader strategy that includes nuclear energy.
In line with these efforts, plans are underway to reactivate dormant nuclear plants, including the Three Mile Island facility, known for the worst nuclear accident in U.S. commercial history in 1979. The push for domestic uranium production has also intensified. While the U.S. has traditionally sourced most of its uranium from countries such as Canada, Australia, and Kazakhstan, it banned imports from Russia in 2024 due to geopolitical tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.
The global interest in nuclear power has surged recently as nations seek carbon-free alternatives and grapple with rising energy costs, driven in part by the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. While countries like Germany moved away from nuclear energy post-Fukushima, others are now reconsidering its role in the energy mix.
00:00Trump issues executive orders to strengthen U.S. nuclear energy sector.
00:06President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders aimed at revitalizing nuclear energy in the United States.
00:14Well, thank you very much. We have a very big announcement today.
00:18It has to do with nuclear energy and other things.
00:21And this is all nuclear. It's a hot industry. It's a brilliant industry. You have to do it right.
00:28It's become very safe and environmental. Yes, 100 percent.
00:33So I'm going to ask Doug Burgum to talk about it a little bit to start and maybe we'll you'll follow him up.
00:41Yes, sir. And we're going to have Pete Hegseth speak from a military standpoint.
00:45But this is very all inclusive.
00:48We're signing tremendous executive orders today that really will make us the real power in this industry, which is a big industry.
00:57Doug, why don't you go ahead?
00:59Well, thank you, President Trump. This is a huge day for the nuclear industry.
01:03Mark this day on your calendar.
01:05This is going to turn the clock back on over 50 years of overregulation of an industry.
01:10America has always American greatness has always come from innovation.
01:14And we were very innovative. We've led post World War Two in all things nuclear.
01:18But then we've been stagnated. We've choked it with overregulation.
01:22Today, Will is going to walk us through a series of four executive orders.
01:26Each of these help attack separate issues that have held back this industry.
01:32And with us today, we've got a number of CEOs from the industry representing some of our largest nuclear providers, but also a big change.
01:39This is a time when when capital and competition has finally come to this industry.
01:43We've got venture capital. We've got startups coming into all aspects of small modular nuclear.
01:48And we've also got an EO that's talking about the importance of us having a secure supply chain of being able to get that fuel load here in the United States as opposed from from foreign sources.
01:58This has impacts on national security, on our defense.
02:02And again, President Trump here today has committed to energy dominance.
02:07And part of that energy dominance is that we've got enough electricity to win the AI arms race with China.
02:13What we do in the next five years related to electricity is going to determine the next 50 because it's the first time in history where electricity can be translated into intelligence.
02:23And we need that intelligence for every aspect of our economy, but also for defense.
02:28Pete Higseth in the Department of Defense has been a key part of this.
02:32And this is going to help us make sure that we're providing the defense we need where we need that AI, need the electricity, but also to secure our bases here at home and around the world.
02:42Secretary.
02:43Sure. I'll just add to that.
02:45We're going to Will.
02:46Energy security is national security.
02:48If we don't have reliable energy for our basing, for our troops, whether forward deployed or domestically, we're vulnerable.
02:58So by having small modular nuclear capabilities, which are rapidly being fielded, that we can use on our bases here and around the world,
03:05we're creating an environment where if things happen elsewhere, the military can be relied upon.
03:10Also, we need, we're including artificial intelligence in everything we do.
03:16If we don't, we're not fast enough.
03:18We're not keeping up with adversaries.
03:19You need the energy to fuel it.
03:21Nuclear is a huge part of that, modular or otherwise.
03:24So we're going to have the lights on and AI operating when others do not, faster than everybody else because of nuclear capabilities.
03:32So this is a big game changer for us as well.
03:34And we're also talking about the big plants, the very, very big, the biggest.
03:38We're going to be doing them also, but we're going to start off a little bit.
03:43I think our focus today is the smaller module, but included in this group, we're also doing big plants where needed.
03:51They won't be needed too much, but they'll literally be able to do it in an entire state.
03:55And you've read a lot about cost overruns in a couple of states that were pretty significant, but we're not going to have cost overruns.
04:02And the technology has come a long way, both in safety and cost and everything else.
04:07Would a couple of you guys like to talk about your companies and you want to say anything?
04:12Joe, why don't you kick it off?
04:14Sure.
04:14My name is Joe Dominguez.
04:15I run Constellation Energy.
04:17We have about 25 percent of the nation's fleet.
04:20We're the largest publicly traded nuclear company in the world.
04:23We're in the middle of a merger with Calpine.
04:27And once completed, we will be the largest electric producing company in the world.
04:32About enough power to produce, to cover all of Mexico, actually.
04:36I didn't know that when we talked.
04:38You were so modest.
04:39I can't believe it.
04:40That's normally not said about me, Mr. President.
04:43I'm very impressed.
04:45Go ahead.
04:46So you think it's got a great future?
04:48Yeah.
04:49Well, absolutely we do.
04:50And the big change here is not only the technology has come around, but we have some of the largest companies in the world, the hyperscalers, who need this energy for AI, who are now working with us to fund the development and construction of the next generation nuclear.
05:06Nuclear is a 24-7 resource.
05:10These data centers run 24-7.
05:12Some of them will cost $200, $300 billion, and they want to run them all of the time.
05:18So we can't use intermittent resources.
05:20We need something that's always on 24-7, and nothing does that better than nuclear.
05:26The problem in the industry has historically been regulatory delay.
05:30Mr. President, you know this because you're the best at building big things.
05:34Delay in regulations and permitting will absolutely kill you, because if you can't get the plant on, you can't get revenue, and the interest costs are horrible.
05:45We're wasting too much time on permitting, and we're answering silly questions, not the important ones.
05:52These directives seek to accelerate the construction of new reactors and enhance the domestic mining and processing of uranium, a fuel source the U.S. largely imports.
06:03Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated,
06:07We're signing major executive orders today that will position us as a global leader in nuclear energy.
06:14The administration's focus includes easing regulatory hurdles and promoting the development of smaller, advanced reactors
06:22that are especially appealing to energy-intensive industries such as technology and artificial intelligence.
06:29Among the key changes is a restructuring of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, to ensure quicker decision-making on reactor applications, targeting an 18-month review window.
06:42While concerns about nuclear safety remain, Trump insisted that the process would remain both fast and safe.
06:49The orders mark a significant shift as nuclear energy garners renewed interest across the country.
06:57Despite high construction costs and lingering public concerns, especially after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, momentum is growing.
07:06Michael Kratzios, who headed the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, hailed the move as a landmark step toward a nuclear renaissance in America.
07:16A senior official noted that the administration aims to test and deploy next-generation reactors before the end of a potential second Trump term in January 2029.
07:28The orders intend to reduce regulatory obstacles and shorten the timeline for new nuclear projects, transforming how the NRC functions.
07:37Trump had previously declared an energy emergency to expand fossil fuel development and reverse climate measures introduced under President Joe Biden.
07:47However, the growing demand for clean energy, driven in part by companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft seeking zero-emission power, has led to a broader strategy that includes nuclear energy.
08:01In line with these efforts, plans are underway to reactivate dormant nuclear plants, including the Three Mile Island Facility, known for the worst nuclear accident in U.S. commercial history in 1979.
08:15The push for domestic uranium production has also intensified.
08:19While the U.S. has traditionally sourced most of its uranium from countries such as Canada, Australia, and Kazakhstan, it banned imports from Russia in 2024 due to geopolitical tensions surrounding the war in Ukraine.
08:33The global interest in nuclear power has surged recently, as nations seek carbon-free alternatives and grapple with rising energy costs, driven in part by the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.
08:45While countries like Germany moved away from nuclear energy post-Fukushima, others are now reconsidering its role in the energy mix.
