Trump touts four micro-reactors; Saudi pact edges closer

President Trump touted a nuclear renaissance after four privately funded micro-reactors reached criticality by the July 4 deadline, marking the first new U.S. advanced reactors in decades. Companies Antares Nuclear, Deployable Energy, Aalo Atomics, and Valar Atomics led the achievement, following May 2025 executive orders to accelerate licensing, testing, and deployment of small modular reactors to meet AI-driven power demand. Trump framed the milestone as a demonstration of rapid American innovation and a rebuke to slower regulatory processes, while stressing a broader goal to quadruple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. The administration has pursued a civilian nuclear pact with Saudi Arabia, conditioned on the Abraham Accords and normalization of relations with Israel. Industry leaders credited a historic partnership with the Department of Energy to ensure safety and speed in bringing these designs to market. Critics note ongoing regulatory and permitting challenges remain for broader energy initiatives beyond the announced milestones.