Senate Delivers Major Victory to President Trump on Energy Expansion
The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved a landmark piece of legislation that strengthens America’s nuclear energy sector, marking another decisive win for President Donald J. Trump’s agenda to restore American energy dominance.
The measure passed with a resounding 88–2 vote, with only Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opposing. The nuclear package was coupled with a bill reauthorizing the U.S. Fire Administration and vital grant programs for firefighters, ensuring broad bipartisan support.
Reviving U.S. Nuclear Leadership
The legislation is designed to streamline the construction and approval process for new nuclear plants as many of America’s existing facilities approach retirement. It lowers burdensome licensing fees for power companies and directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to produce a report recommending ways to simplify and accelerate environmental reviews.
The Trump administration has made energy independence a central priority. President Trump has already issued four executive orders mandating the NRC to cut red tape and process nuclear plant applications within 18 months.
For decades, the United States led the world in nuclear design and construction. That leadership slipped as bureaucratic delays and skyrocketing costs pushed innovation overseas, particularly to China. Under Trump’s leadership, Washington is determined to reclaim America’s energy edge.
Bold Vision: Tripling U.S. Nuclear Power
The long-term plan calls for tripling America’s nuclear power output over the next quarter century, expanding capacity from 100 gigawatts today to 400 gigawatts by 2050. The House draft budget retains crucial tax incentives for nuclear construction, provided new projects break ground before 2029. This framework gives private industry the certainty needed to invest while safeguarding taxpayers with deadlines for action.
Energy Meets Artificial Intelligence
The vote coincides with a groundbreaking announcement from OpenAI and Oracle, joined by SoftBank, on the “Stargate” initiative — a Trump-backed project to build five new data centers across the country. With nearly $400 billion in planned investment and 7 gigawatts of new capacity, the effort is rapidly closing in on its initial $500 billion goal to deliver 10 gigawatts of AI-driven infrastructure by 2028.
These facilities — including major sites in Texas, New Mexico, the Midwest, and Ohio — are expected to generate more than 25,000 jobs and over 5.5 gigawatts of new energy demand, enough to power twice the electricity needs of San Francisco.
The initiative underscores the intersection of President Trump’s energy vision and America’s leadership in artificial intelligence. Experts at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimate AI build-outs could account for 12 percent of U.S. electricity consumption by 2028, making nuclear expansion essential to meeting future demand.
A New American Energy Era
Other tech giants are following suit: Microsoft is partnering with Constellation Energy to restart the iconic Three Mile Island reactor while investing $4 billion in a Wisconsin data center. Meta is developing an AI complex in Louisiana expected to consume the power equivalent of Manhattan. Amazon is spending $20 billion to expand its AI footprint in Pennsylvania. Nvidia has pledged $100 billion to OpenAI while providing advanced processors to drive the revolution.
The alignment of private-sector investment with President Trump’s policies signals a new era of American innovation, economic strength, and energy independence. By cutting red tape, incentivizing investment, and unleashing domestic capacity, Trump is ensuring that America — not China — leads the world in both energy and technology for generations to come.