President Trump has signed a series of executive orders and is preparing a new initiative to speed deployment of advanced nuclear reactors, moves that would shift power away from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and toward the White House and other agencies. Supporters in industry see a chance to revive nuclear power, while critics warn that eroding the NRC’s independence and compressing timelines could undermine safety.
In recent months, President Trump has intensified efforts to reshape nuclear regulation and promote new reactor technologies, according to reporting by NPR. One executive order signed in the spring mandated sweeping reforms at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), calling for a broad overhaul of safety regulations, reductions in staff, and a reconsideration of some radiation safety standards, in coordination with White House offices.
NPR has also reported that the Trump administration has tightened its control over the NRC by requiring that new nuclear safety rules be vetted by the White House Office of Management and Budget and giving the administration the power to revise them. Former NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane told NPR that this increased White House involvement was a major departure from the agency’s traditional independence.
The administration has framed these steps as part of a broader effort to bolster the U.S. nuclear industry, which faces aging reactors, competition from cheaper natural gas and renewables, and growing electricity demand from data centers and other technology infrastructure. Industry executives have publicly welcomed Trump’s focus on nuclear power, seeing it as a path to new investment and faster approvals for reactors that promise lower costs and, in some cases, improved safety features compared with conventional plants.
At the same time, several experts and watchdogs interviewed by NPR warn that the combination of political pressure, efforts to streamline rules and cuts to the NRC could erode the decades‑old safety framework that governs nuclear power in the United States. They note that the NRC was created by Congress in 1974 as an independent regulator in response to concerns about radiation risks, and that it has long been considered a global benchmark for nuclear oversight.
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, has criticized the broader campaign to weaken the NRC’s independence, telling NPR that recent moves could have serious implications for nuclear safety if financial and political interests are allowed to outweigh technical judgment. Macfarlane has likewise cautioned that White House vetting of NRC rules is “not normal” for an agency that was designed to operate at arm’s length from day‑to‑day political influence.
Supporters of the administration’s approach argue that reforms are needed to modernize an agency they view as too slow and conservative, and say that advanced reactor designs and new projects will still be subject to federal oversight. They contend that updated regulations and closer coordination with other parts of the government could help the United States compete with Russia and China on next‑generation nuclear technology.
Critics counter that even experimental or first‑of‑a‑kind reactors can pose significant risks if safety reviews are curtailed or rushed. They fear that reconfiguring the balance of power between the White House and the NRC, particularly through executive orders and behind‑the‑scenes rule changes, could make it harder for regulators to resist pressure from companies or political appointees in the event of cost overruns, delays or unexpected technical problems.
The debate over Trump’s nuclear agenda is unfolding alongside broader environmental and energy rollbacks. The administration has proposed eliminating climate pollution limits for fossil fuel power plants and weakening other pollution rules, steps that environmental groups say will increase health risks and move the country further from its climate goals. For nuclear power, experts say, the central question is whether efforts to accelerate new reactors can be reconciled with preserving the rigorous, independent oversight that has underpinned the U.S. industry’s safety record.
