America Goes Nuclear
Approval for nuclear energy is near record highs. This is primarily due to rising support from Republicans and independents.
According to a new Gallup survey, 61% of Americans now favor the use of nuclear energy. That marks a +6 percentage-point increase since 2023 and a +16 percentage-point increase since 2016. Today’s support is almost equal to the record high of 62% set in 2010.
While all political groups have grown more favorable towards nuclear power since 2016, the most recent gains—from 2023 to 2025—have come entirely from Republicans and independents. Republican support jumped from 62% to 74% (+12pp), and independents rose from 56% to 64% (+8pp). Democratic support—while still higher than in the mid-2010s—remained flat at 46%.
At the same time, Americans’ preference for prioritizing alternative energy development over expanding oil, gas, and coal production has fallen to a new low of 56%. That marks a -3 percentage-point decline since 2023 and a steep -17 percentage-point decline since 2019. Once again, Republicans are driving the shift. (See “Support Drops for Renewable Energy.”)
It’s no surprise that support for nuclear energy has jumped among Republicans. During the 2024 campaign, Trump advocated for expanding nuclear power as part of his broader “all-of-the-above” strategy.
Yet Trump’s backing comes with caveats. In an October 2024 interview with Joe Rogan, he warned that many nuclear projects grow “too big, too complex, and too expensive.” Instead of large-scale builds, he favors cheaper, more scalable alternatives like small modular reactors (SMRs). In line with that vision, the Department of Energy recently reissued a $900 million funding opportunity to accelerate the rollout of Generation III+ SMRs.