Trump’s Executive Orders to Boost Nuclear Energy

President Donald Trump took significant steps on Friday by signing several executive orders aimed at revitalizing the U.S. nuclear energy sector. This includes changes to the regulatory framework still under development.

“We’re signing an incredible executive order that will genuinely impact the industry today,” Trump shared with reporters as he finalized four orders in the Oval Office.

The objectives of these orders include accelerating the construction of new reactors and promoting domestic uranium mining and enrichment.

Trump emphasized the plan to focus on smaller reactors, which are increasingly essential for tech and artificial intelligence companies with substantial energy demands.

This initiative will also reconstruct the framework of the U.S. nuclear regulatory body to expedite decisions on new reactor construction, with a targeted timeframe of 18 months. There are indications that regulators may have been overestimating their timelines.

When asked if hastening the regulatory process would compromise nuclear safety, Trump firmly disagreed. “We’re going to make it very fast and very safe,” he stated. “It’s nuclear time, and we’re going to make it very big.”

While this move is expensive and politically delicate—especially in light of the 2011 Fukushima disaster—interest in U.S. nuclear energy is rising again.

Michael Krazios, the White House science and technology policy director, remarked earlier that “President Trump is taking truly historic actions to guide the American nuclear renaissance.”

Energy Emergency

A senior official from the White House mentioned that the government plans to “test and deploy” new reactors by the conclusion of Trump’s second term in January 2029.

Trump’s orders are designed to “fundamentally overhaul” the Nuclear Regulation Commission, easing regulatory pressures and shortening the timeline for licensing new reactors.

On his first day in office, Trump declared an “energy emergency” to expand oil and gas drilling while rolling back the climate policies of his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

However, he is currently looking for solutions to satisfy a growing appetite for energy.

The demand particularly stems from major U.S. tech firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, which have entered into nuclear agreements to secure a carbon-free energy source.

Two U.S. energy companies are also working to reactivate various nuclear power plants, including the notorious Three Mile Island, site of the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history in 1979.

Trump’s support for increased mining and enrichment indicates a recognition that the U.S. relies heavily on uranium imports for its nuclear facilities.

As of 2023, the U.S. sourced much of its uranium from Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. However, in 2024, it banned uranium imports from Russia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In recent years, nuclear energy has been making a comeback as it aligns with the push for carbon-free energy amidst rising prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

The Fukushima disaster led to significant economic repercussions, particularly in Germany, where a shift away from nuclear energy became evident.