Key points
- Nuclear regulatory agency asked to rule on new licenses within 18 months
- Focus would be on building smaller reactors
- Orders will also overhaul the US nuclear watchdog
ISLAMABAD: United States (US) President Donald Trump signed four nuclear energy-related executive orders on Friday that will speed up reactor testing, allow the Departments of Energy and Defence to build nuclear reactors on federally-owned land, overhaul the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and boost the United States’ mining and enrichment of uranium, a senior White House official said.
Today, @POTUS signed executive orders aligned with his agenda to UNLEASH AMERICAN NUCLEAR ENERGY DOMINANCE!
The United States is LEADING the energy revolution!
— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) May 23, 2025
The president also signed an order to restore what the White House called “gold-standard science,” which comes as the administration has cut billions in federal grants that fund scientific research and slashed staffing at several science-focused agencies, according to CNN.
The US president said the focus would be on building smaller reactors, such as those required by tech and artificial intelligence companies that have huge energy needs.
Nuclear safety
The orders will also overhaul the US nuclear watchdog so that it pushes through decisions on building new reactors within 18 months, amid reports that the White House found the regulator too risk averse.
According to AFP, Trump denied that speeding up the regulation process could compromise nuclear safety.
“We’re going to get it very fast and very safe,” Trump said. “It’s time for nuclear and we’re going to do it very big.”
MAKE NUCLEAR GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/B1kL5GnjPB
— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) May 23, 2025
The move comes with growing interest in nuclear energy in the United States, despite being expensive to build and still politically sensitive in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
“President Trump is taking truly historic action to usher in the American nuclear renaissance,” Michael Kratsios, Director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told reporters earlier.
Energy emergency
A senior White House official said the administration hopes to “test and deploy” new reactors before the end of Trump’s second term in January 2029.
Nuclear energy is our 2nd LARGEST source of electricity and rapidly growing! DOE is on track to advance the rapid deployment of affordable and abundant nuclear energy!
— U.S. Department of Energy (@ENERGY) May 24, 2025
Trump’s order “fundamentally rehauls” the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which grants permission for new reactors, by “lowering regulatory burdens and shortening the licensing timeline.”
Republican Trump declared an “energy emergency” on his first day back in office to expand drilling for oil and gas and to roll back Democratic predecessor Joe Biden’s climate policies, but he is now also looking at nuclear to meet growing demand.
