President Trump announced that four privately funded advanced small nuclear reactors reached criticality under a Department of Energy pilot, meeting the July deadline and marking a renaissance in U.S. nuclear power while crediting his executive orders to speed licensing and reduce regulatory hurdles; his push is praised by supporters but criticized by some Democrats for potentially weakening safety oversight. The milestone is framed as a historic shift in American energy leadership amid broader efforts to accelerate nuclear innovation and power for AI and national security needs.
