The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass a key piece of legislation aimed at bolstering the country’s nuclear energy sector.
The bill passed by a vote of 88-2 with Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opposing the measure. The nuclear package was combined with another bill that reauthorized the U.S. Fire Administration and grant programs for firefighters.
The measure aims to accelerate the process of approving the construction of new nuclear plants as many of the country’s existing plants reach the end of their serviceable lives. Additionally, it reduces the licensing fees that power companies must pay to initiate projects. It also mandates the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to prepare a report examining ways to simplify and expedite the environmental review process.
The Trump administration has placed an extreme focus on “unleashing American energy.”
President Trump issued four executive orders directing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reduce rules and expedite new licenses for nuclear power facilities, acting on applications within 18 months.
The United States was formerly the world leader in nuclear design and construction, but delays and exorbitant prices have given that position to China, which is building a record number of reactors.
The directives aim to expedite federal permitting for new nuclear projects and technology, as well as implement cost-cutting strategies to reduce the NRC’s footprint.
The sector will benefit from federal subsidies, since the House of Representatives’ draft budget legislation retains tax incentives for new and existing nuclear facilities, but requires them to begin construction before January 1, 2029.
The plan is to triple domestic nuclear power generation over the next 25 years, boosting capacity from around 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
On Tuesday, OpenAI and Oracle disclosed their intention to construct five additional data center sites as part of the “Stargate” initiative.
This initiative would substantially enhance the U.S. AI infrastructure and could potentially influence the grid composition in numerous states.
The companies, which are collaborating with SoftBank, stated that Stargate, which is supported by President Trump, has approximately 7 gigawatts of planned capacity and $400 billion in planned investment over the next three years.
This brings the initiative in close proximity to its initial objective of investing $500 billion in AI infrastructure and constructing 10 gigawatts of data center capacity by 2028.
The development of data centers is being closely monitored due to their potential to revolutionize the electric grid and its energy consumption.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates that the AI build-out could utilize approximately 12 percent of the U.S. electricity by 2028.
In July, Oracle and OpenAI signed an agreement to invest over $300 billion in data centers over the next five years, which is the source of the majority of the new capacity. The corporations have announced that they are in the process of constructing data center sites in Shackelford County, Texas; Doña Ana County, New Mexico; and an unspecified location in the Midwest.
The new complexes are anticipated to generate over 5.5 gigawatts of power capacity and create over 25,000 jobs in conjunction with an operational Stargate site in Abilene, Texas, according to the companies.
That is more than twice the amount of electricity necessary to supply electricity to San Francisco.
The other two new Stargate sites, which are currently under development by OpenAI and SoftBank, are located in Milam County, Texas, and Lordstown, Ohio.
The Texas location is being supported by SB Energy, a SoftBank subsidiary, while the Ohio complex has commenced construction and is anticipated to be operational next year. The companies indicated that they may shortly disclose additional locations associated with Stargate.
Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank officials stated that they evaluated more than 300 proposals for data centers throughout the nation in order to determine the most suitable locations.
Microsoft, OpenAI’s supporter, is collaborating with Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania and is currently in the process of constructing a $4 billion data center complex in Wisconsin.
Meta is constructing an AI compound in Louisiana that will consume power equivalent to that of Manhattan. In Pennsylvania, Amazon is investing $20 billion to establish AI facilities.
Nvidia announced earlier this week that it would provide OpenAI with computer processors and invest $100 billion in the technology company.
The Trump administration has drawn a clear line between responsible journalism and political espionage. On Friday, President Donald Trump’s White House officially barred reporters from accessing a key section of the West Wing—known as the
The move follows mounting evidence that members of the mainstream media had been eavesdropping on private cabinet discussions and secretly recording sensitive material.
For years, the so-called “press freedom” crowd has used their credentials as a license to invade privacy, twist quotes, and undermine the President’s agenda. But under Trump’s leadership, that era of unchecked access and deep-state leaks appears to be ending.
The new order, issued by the National Security Council and enforced by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, states that no reporter may enter the Upper Press without an appointment. The memo cited “the protection of sensitive material from unauthorized disclosure,” an objective most Americans would find not only reasonable but essential.
Cheung, known for his no-nonsense defense of the administration, revealed that this decision wasn’t made lightly. “Cabinet secretaries were being ambushed and secretly recorded by reporters lurking outside private offices,” he said. “It’s an unacceptable breach of trust.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, one of the most dynamic figures in the administration, has become a target for left-leaning journalists desperate to manufacture controversy. Sources confirm that several mainstream reporters were caught “hovering” near her office door—listening in during confidential cabinet meetings.
Cheung posted on X, formerly Twitter, that some of these reporters had even taken unauthorized photos of classified briefing materials. “We’ve had to chase reporters down who started strolling into restricted areas towards the Oval. Total absence of boundaries,” he wrote.
This isn’t a crackdown on the free press—it’s a defense against a press that’s gone rogue. For too long, major outlets like CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times have blurred the line between journalism and sabotage. Trump’s team is drawing that line again.
The new restrictions apply only to the Upper Press, the area adjacent to the Oval Office and Press Secretary Leavitt’s workspace. Journalists will still have full access to the Lower Press section near the briefing room. That means legitimate reporting isn’t being silenced—it’s being held to professional standards.
The decision follows other necessary reforms implemented by the Trump administration to restore order and discipline in government communication. Earlier this month, several outlets—including AFP—refused to comply with updated Pentagon press guidelines designed to protect classified material.
Rather than adapt, these same outlets are now crying “censorship.” But the reality is simpler: President Trump is putting national security above media theatrics.
For years, legacy media have operated like a political class of their own—waltzing through restricted areas, pestering staff, and mining private conversations for clickbait. When Trump first took office in 2017, he promised to expose the rot in Washington. Now, with his return to the White House, he’s making good on that promise once again.
Insiders say that the National Security Council’s new structure, which Trump placed under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has increased the sensitivity of information handled in the West Wing. The need for tighter access is both logical and overdue.
The incident that triggered this move reportedly occurred after reporters were caught eavesdropping during a closed-door meeting with Leavitt and a visiting cabinet member. Witnesses claim the individuals were literally pressing their ears to the door—an act that would be unthinkable under any prior administration.
“This isn’t journalism; it’s espionage,” one senior official remarked privately. “If any conservative reporter had pulled something like that during the Obama years, they’d have been escorted out in handcuffs.”
The media’s meltdown over the new rule only exposes their arrogance. For decades, they’ve acted as though the White House was their playground. But under Trump, the people’s house is once again being protected for the people—not the pundits.
Leavitt herself has taken the attacks in stride. A rising star within Trump’s circle, she has faced relentless harassment from leftist journalists since stepping into the role. Despite that, she continues to deliver sharp, confident briefings that highlight the administration’s achievements—from freeing American hostages to restoring order on the southern border.
Many conservatives have applauded the move, saying it’s about time the White House stopped rewarding bad behavior. “If you can’t respect basic security rules, you don’t belong anywhere near the President’s staff,” one commentator said on Truth Social.
Meanwhile, liberal reporters are crying foul, framing their restriction as an “attack on democracy.” But Americans aren’t buying it. Polls show record-low trust in mainstream media, with many citizens agreeing that the press has become little more than a propaganda arm for the left.
Trump supporters see this as another victory in the fight to drain the swamp—not just in government, but in journalism. As one viral post put it: “They spied, they lied, and now they’ve been denied.”