DOGE Goes Nuclear: How Trump Invited Silicon Valley Into America’s Nuclear Power Regulator

ProPublica
by Avi Asher-Schapiro
March 20, 2026
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7 min read

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President Trump invited Silicon Valley into America's nuclear power regulator.

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The Trump administration is aggressively reshaping nuclear energy regulation, driven by a desire to dramatically increase energy for artificial intelligence. This shift involves reducing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's workforce, speeding up reactor approval timelines, and rewriting safety rules. Seth Cohen, a 31-year-old lawyer from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team, has been a key figure, downplaying health and safety concerns during a Department of Energy meeting at the Idaho National Laboratory. President Donald Trump fired NRC Commissioner Christopher Hanson last June, marking the first time an NRC commissioner had been dismissed. These actions have led to over 400 staff departures from the NRC since Trump took office, raising concerns about the independence and safety culture of the regulator.

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