What is the Trump Administration Doing for Nuclear? Moves by the White House and what it means for Wyoming

by Wyoming Liberty Group

President Trump is going all-in on nuclear power. That was the overriding message when the president recently put his signature to one of his latest moves. There was no need to read the tea leaves. The White House declared its clear intent with this announcement: "President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Usher in a Nuclear Renaissance…"

Which is another way of saying, America is open for nuclear business in a way that it hasn't been in decades. And we in Wyoming need to pay attention, as business and political forces are gathering expeditiously to establish nuclear facilities within our state.

"After decades of stagnation and shuttered reactors, President Trump is providing a path forward for nuclear innovation," the White House said. "Today's executive orders allow for reactor design testing at DOE labs, clear the way for construction on federal lands to protect national and economic security, and remove regulatory barriers by requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue timely licensing decisions."

The White House noted, correctly, that in the past few decades, nuclear activity, especially the construction of new plants, has been largely dormant. According to Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, the rebuilding of the nuclear industry in the United States, including a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain, is "critical to American energy independence and continued dominance in AI and other emerging technologies." In referencing AI, he was, of course, citing the need to produce massive amounts of energy to feed the needs of emerging artificial intelligence.

Indeed, the president has directed the Department of Energy to designate AI data centers as critical defense facilities and the department is expected to work towards creating an advanced nuclear power plant for artificial intelligence by late 2027.

Chris Wright, the secretary of energy, also referenced the needs of AI as part of the engine driving the administration's push into nuclear power. He also touched on the fact that renewable energies, such as wind and solar, are not sufficient to capture electricity needs that are expected to expand at a rapid pace across the country.

"For too long, America's nuclear energy industry has been stymied by red tape and outdated government policies, but thanks to President Trump, the American nuclear renaissance is finally here," Wright said. "With the emergence of AI and President Trump's pro-American manufacturing policies at work, American civil nuclear energy is being unleashed at the perfect time. Nuclear has the potential to be America's greatest source of energy addition. It works whether the wind is blowing, or the sun is shining, is possible anywhere and at different scales. President Trump's executive orders today unshackle our civil nuclear energy industry and ensure it can meet this critical moment."

The White House's actions on nuclear power, whether to cut regulations or speed up the approval processes, echo what has been a largely bipartisan issue, whereby many factions have argued for the need to expand energy sources for AI data centers, or to produce more carbon-free electricity. The United States operates nearly a hundred nuclear reactors, which provide an estimated 20 percent of the electricity needs of the nation. The Trump White House wants to boost that nuclear capacity significantly within the next quarter century.

According to the Office of Nuclear Energy within the U.S. Department of Energy, Trump's executive orders are aimed at creating "an expedited pathway" for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission—the NRC—to approve reactors that have been "safely tested." In particular, the administration is looking to greenlight new nuclear projects within the next 18 months.

What's more, the executive orders "seek to accelerate deployment of new nuclear reactor technologies and expand American nuclear energy capacity" fourfold, according to the Department of Energy. The White House would like to see 10 new large nuclear reactors being built within the next five years. The administration also would like to come up with a plan "to shorten the length of time it takes to test advanced reactors," according to the Office of Nuclear Energy. That includes using "all available authorities to eliminate or expedite its environmental reviews for authorizations, permits, approvals, leases, and any other activity requested by an applicant or potential applicant."

Also of note is that the administration wants the Department of Energy to examine ways of recycling or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, a process that hasn't occurred in the United States in several decades.

It's also worth noting that the president "tasked the secretaries of energy, defense, and transportation, along with the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to recommend a national policy on spent nuclear fuel management and high-level waste…"

What that means is of particular concern to Wyoming. In recent years, several legislative proposals have opened the door to storing spent nuclear fuel within our state—whether as a byproduct of reactor manufacturing or through broader waste management strategies. These moves have sparked concern among communities, who question the long-term wisdom of bringing in waste that will remain radioactive for thousands of years.

As federal agencies accelerate nuclear development, Wyoming must ask: Are we prepared for the permanent responsibilities that come with temporary promises of economic gain? With the Trump administration pushing for a rapid nuclear buildout, the question is no longer if nuclear is coming—but whether Wyoming will be the place that absorbs the industry's leftovers.