Trump cites cost and risks of building more nuclear plants

By Nico Portuondo, Francisco "A.J." Camacho | 10/29/2024 06:46 AM EDT

Comments to podcaster Joe Rogan dampen prospects that Trump would offer unqualified support for a large-scale nuclear build-out.

This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump (left) and Joe Rogan.

Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump (left) and podcaster Joe Rogan. AP

Former President Donald Trump expressed significant reservations over American nuclear energy in his recent appearance on theJoe Rogan Experience” podcast, a departure from other Republicans who have entirely backed the zero-carbon energy source.

Trump told Joe Rogan in an interview released Friday that he thought projects to build more of the large nuclear reactors currently on the grid, while “very clean,” have a tendency to be complex and to go over budget. He also expressed concern over the energy source’s safety implications.

“They get too big, and too complex and too expensive,” Trump said of U.S. nuclear reactors. “I think there’s a little danger in nuclear.”

Advertisement

Trump’s comments seem to qualify his campaign’s promise to “unleash Energy Production from all sources, including nuclear.”

GET FULL ACCESS