In the capacity bestowed upon me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, I hereby declare:
Section 1. Context. The United States is grappling with an urgent national security challenge: ensuring a robust, secure, and dependable energy supply for essential defense installations as outlined in section 824o-1(c) of title 16, United States Code, alongside other critical resources. The advanced computational frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI) and other mission-critical resources at military sites and national laboratories require consistent, high-capacity power sources, which must be safeguarded against external threats and grid interruptions. The susceptibility of these facilities to energy disruptions poses a strategic hazard that needs immediate attention.
Advanced nuclear reactors, which encompass systems like Generation III+ reactors, small modular reactors, and mobile variants, offer the potential for resilient, secure, and reliable energy for these vital defense establishments. Nonetheless, despite their promise, these technologies have yet to be harnessed in the U.S. with the urgency or scale necessary to fulfill our national security needs, while our global competitors are swiftly advancing and deploying similar technologies.
The Federal Government must exercise its full authority to hasten the secure and responsible development, demonstration, deployment, and export of American-designed advanced nuclear technologies, thus enhancing readiness and fortifying American technological leadership. Furthermore, the U.S. must bolster its capacity to share nuclear technologies with allies and commercial partners, diminishing our collective dependence on foreign adversaries through the application of safe, secure, and regulated nuclear technologies. Consequently, we must unleash the domestic nuclear industrial base and position American nuclear firms as the preferred partners for future global energy advancements.
Sec. 2. Policy Statement. It is the policy of the United States to:
(a) accelerate the development, deployment, and utilization of advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives, such as safeguarding and operating critical infrastructure and defense facilities;
(b) facilitate private sector investment, innovation, and the use of advanced nuclear technologies within the U.S., recognizing their advantages for national security, by aligning incentives across the federal government to fully leverage federally owned uranium and plutonium resources deemed surplus to defense needs, as well as associated materials, supply chain components, and research and development infrastructure; and
(c) synchronize regulatory efforts among the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy, ensuring these agencies optimize their resources and risk management according to their respective missions.
Sec. 3. Implementation of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies at Military Installations. (a) The Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Army, shall initiate a program for the use of nuclear energy for both installation and operational purposes. A nuclear reactor, regulated by the United States Army, shall commence operations at a domestic military base or installation by no later than September 30, 2028. The Secretary of Defense will appoint the Secretary of the Army as the executive agent responsible for both installation and operational nuclear energy across the Department of Defense.
(b) The Secretary of Energy shall provide technical assistance, upon request, to the Secretary of Defense regarding the design, construction, and operation of any advanced nuclear reactor on military sites in accordance with this order.
(c) The Secretary of State shall advise the Secretary of Defense on any international legal obligations or necessary modifications to international agreements relevant to this directive.
(d) Within 240 days of this order’s issuance, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the military department heads, will prepare and submit recommendations for legislative proposals and regulatory actions concerning the distribution, operation, replacement, and removal of advanced nuclear reactors and spent nuclear fuel on military sites to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
Sec. 4. Deployment of Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies at Department of Energy Facilities. (a) The Secretary of Energy shall begin the process of designating AI data centers within the contiguous United States and the District of Columbia, located at or operating in conjunction with Department of Energy facilities, as critical defense facilities where appropriate. The electrical infrastructure, encompassing both nuclear and non-nuclear power generation capabilities, required for these operations shall be classified as defense-critical electric infrastructure for the purposes of this order and applicable statutes, regulations, and directives as needed.
(b) Within 90 days from this order, the Secretary of Energy shall identify one or more sites owned or controlled by the Department of Energy within the U.S., including national laboratories, for the deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
(c) The Secretary of Energy shall utilize all available legal powers to site, approve, and authorize the design, construction, and operation of privately funded advanced nuclear reactor technologies at Department of Energy-owned or controlled locations to supply power to AI infrastructure and other critical or national security needs. The Secretary of Energy will prioritize site preparation and authorization activities with the aim of having an advanced nuclear reactor operational at the first site no later than 30 months from this order’s issuance.
Sec. 5. Uranium and Related Materials for Reactors Specified in this Order. (a) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of Energy shall assess all usable uranium and plutonium materials within the Department of Energy’s inventories that can be recycled or processed into nuclear fuel for American reactors.
(b) The Secretary of Energy shall release at least 20 metric tons of high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) into a readily accessible fuel bank for any project from the private sector that secures authorization to construct and operate at a Department of Energy-owned or controlled site, and is regulated by the Department of Energy for AI and other infrastructure purposes. The Secretary of Energy shall maintain sufficient stockpiles of fuel necessary for tritium production, naval propulsion, and nuclear weapons, alongside other existing national security commitments, and will source additional materials from other Department of Energy inventories to provide HALEU for the fuel bank. Whenever feasible, the Secretary of Energy will implement plans to ensure a sustainable supply of enriched uranium is available for the ongoing operation of the projects mentioned earlier, including the establishment of domestic fuel fabrication and supply chains to reduce dependence on foreign fuel sources.
(c) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy shall employ all available legal authority to site, approve, and authorize the design, construction, and operation of privately funded nuclear fuel recycling, reprocessing, and reactor fuel fabrication technologies at designated sites controlled by their respective agencies for the purpose of fabricating fuel forms for use in national security reactors, commercial power reactors, and non-power research reactors.
Sec. 6. Interagency Coordination. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy shall engage in any necessary contracts or agreements under their respective authorities to facilitate the implementation of this order, including technical advisory support from the Department of Energy at Department of Defense installations for research, development, design, acquisition, specification, construction, inspection, installation, certification, testing, refueling, operation, maintenance, supply support, and disposition of advanced nuclear reactor technologies in support of mission assurance objectives for critical infrastructure, ensuring military readiness, and identifying innovative uses of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for defense applications and testing at Department of Energy-owned sites.
Sec. 7. Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy shall confer with the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality regarding:
(a) applying established categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., for constructing advanced nuclear reactor technologies on specific Federal sites in the U.S. and for other appropriate measures for implementing this order;
(b) adopting categorical exclusions from other executive departments and agencies (agencies) for similar purposes;
(c) establishing new categorical exclusions for the same objectives;
(d) seeking to utilize other agencies’ emergency and additional permitting procedures for siting and constructing advanced nuclear reactor technologies; and
(e) developing alternative arrangements for NEPA compliance in emergency situations as appropriate for the same purposes.
Sec. 8. Promotion of American Nuclear Exports. (a) The Secretary of State or their designee shall:
(i) lead diplomatic engagement and negotiations for Agreements for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation under section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 42 U.S.C. 2153 (123 Agreements);
(ii) actively pursue at least 20 new 123 Agreements by the end of the 120th Congress to enable the U.S. nuclear industry to explore new markets in partner nations;
(iii) aggressively renegotiate 123 Agreements nearing expiration within the next decade;
(iv) fully utilize Federal Government resources to advocate for the U.S. nuclear industry in developing commercial civil nuclear projects globally; and
(v) engage with Congress regarding negotiating progress and reporting on 123 Agreements.
(b) The Secretary of Energy shall swiftly review and, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and after consulting with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Defense, adjudicate export authorization requests to facilitate U.S. technological leadership. The Secretary of Energy will approve or deny each technology transfer export authorization request within 30 days of receiving a complete application and the required analysis, excluding any waiting period for (i) concurrence from the Department of State; and (ii) retransfer and nonproliferation assurances from the government of the country where the export is proposed.
(c) Within 90 days of this order, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of OMB, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, determine a strategy addressing:
(i) optimizing the value of the United States International Development Finance Corporation to provide equity and other financing for American nuclear energy technology;
(ii) increasing the effectiveness of the United States Trade and Development Agency, as consistent with law, by expanding grant financing for U.S. nuclear technology pilots, fuel supplies, and project preparation to nations of strategic interest;
(iii) leveraging the Export-Import Bank of the United States and other relevant agencies to enhance financing for projects utilizing U.S. civil nuclear technology exports throughout the project lifecycle;
(iv) conducting trade missions and reverse trade missions and using other trade promotion tools to dismantle trade barriers and boost the competitiveness of the U.S. nuclear industry; and
(v) achieving competitive parity in the global market for high-level advocacy and representation from the Federal Government to foreign governments of potential importing nations, focusing on countries with the highest likelihood of nuclear deployment within the next four years based on industry assessments and established commercial criteria such as the strength of the country’s financial and regulatory systems.
(d) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of the Treasury shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of OMB, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, devise a strategy that:
(i) leverages U.S. participation in multilateral development banks to assist client countries in accessing financial and technical support for nuclear energy generation and distribution, alongside a reliable fuel supply; and
(ii) supports such assistance at relevant institutions to ensure competitive financial terms, enhance the capacity of these institutions to assess, implement, and evaluate nuclear energy projects, and encourage the adoption of nuclear energy technologies and fuel supply chains that meet or exceed the quality standards of the U.S. or allied nations.
(e) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of State or their designee shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Energy, and after review by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, implement a program to enhance the global competitiveness of American nuclear suppliers, investors, and financiers in competing for nuclear projects worldwide, including actions to:
(i) expedite the conclusion of intergovernmental agreements on nuclear energy and the fuel supply chain with prospective exporting nations;
(ii) promote broad adherence to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage;
(iii) identify statutory and regulatory obstacles to exporting American nuclear technology, fuel supplies, equipment, and services not addressed by this or other Executive Orders and recommend appropriate remedial actions; and
(iv) encourage favorable decisions by potential importing nations regarding the utilization of American nuclear technology, fuel supplies, equipment, and services.
Sec. 9. Prioritization of Nuclear Clearances. The Secretary of Defense, through the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy, shall prioritize the appropriate issuance of Department of Energy and Department of Defense security clearances, including “L”, “Q”, “SECRET”, “TOP SECRET”, “RD”, “CNWDI”, and “SCI”, to facilitate the rapid distribution and application of nuclear energy and fuel cycle technologies.
Sec. 10. Additional Provisions. Nothing in this order shall be interpreted to impair or otherwise affect OMB functions related to procurement actions and related policies. This order shall be executed in line with the budgetary, legislative, and procurement processes established by the Director of OMB, and coordinated with OMB as necessary prior to initiating any new program, obligation, or commitment of Federal funds, or submission of any legislative or procurement proposal stemming from this order. This order shall be carried out in a manner that adheres to applicable legal standards, aligns with nonproliferation obligations, and meets the highest safety, security, and safeguard protocols.
Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority bestowed by law on any executive department or agency, or their heads; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget regarding budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented in accordance with applicable laws and subject to available appropriations;
(c) This order does not intend to, nor does it, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other individual.
(d) The Department of Energy shall allocate funds for the publication of this order in the Federal Register.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 23, 2025.
