US President Donald Trump’s social media company said that construction of the country’s first fusion power plant will begin in 2026, less than a month after his firm announced a controversial merger with fusion energy company TEA Technologies.
The two companies announced on Tuesday that they are currently in the process of selecting a site ahead of construction, with a clear goal in mind: “Guarantee America’s predominant position in the AI revolution,” they wrote.
Although Trump has thrown wrenches into green energy initiatives, he’s been bullish on nuclear power, even creating a new Office of Fusion to fast-track the technology amid growing demand for energy to power the AI boom.
A nuclear fusion power plant, which would force atoms together rather than split them, and produce more energy than the process consumes, would be a first. The merger, however, immediately sparked controversy over conflicts of interest: The person in charge of regulating these companies now holds a financial stake in their success.