It's been a wild ride. Honestly, if you’ve been following the news lately, you know the Trump Department of Energy (DOE) isn't just about "drilling, baby, drill" anymore. It’s evolved into something way more complex. We are seeing a massive pivot that mixes old-school fossil fuels with futuristic AI data centers and a borderline obsession with nuclear fission.
Basically, the department has been flipped on its head.
Gone are the days when "climate change" was the primary buzzword in the hallways of the Forrestal Building. Under Secretary Chris Wright, a guy who literally came from the fracking world as the former CEO of Liberty Energy, the vibe has shifted to "Energy Dominance." It’s a term they use a lot. It means they want the U.S. to not just be independent, but to actually dictate the global market.
The AI-Nuclear Marriage You Didn't See Coming
The biggest surprise? The Genesis Mission.
In late 2024 and throughout 2025, the administration started treating AI like the new Manhattan Project. They realized that if the U.S. wants to win the AI race against China, we need a staggering amount of electricity. We’re talking about a demand spike we haven't seen in decades.
To fuel this, the Trump Department of Energy is leaning hard into nuclear power. They aren't just talking about those giant cooling towers you see in the movies, either. They are betting big on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
In December 2025 alone, the DOE dumped $800 million into a partnership with TVA and Holtec to get these SMRs off the drawing board and into the real world. The goal is insane: they want to quadruple nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050. To put that in perspective, we’ve only been sitting at around 100 GW for years.
🔗 Read more: Who Is Winning The President Election: The Story Everyone Missed
Cutting the "Green" Cord
You've probably heard about the "Green New Scam" rhetoric. Well, the department put its money where its mouth is. In September 2025, they clawed back over $13 billion in unspent funds from Biden-era programs.
They basically told the Treasury, "We don't want this."
It wasn't just a quiet accounting move. It was a loud, messy divorce from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) priorities. They specifically targeted subsidies for wind and solar, while simultaneously fast-tracking permits for LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) exports.
- They paused the "Green" checks.
- They reopened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for leasing.
- They killed off the "Atmospheric Protection Program," calling it a $100 million overreach.
But here is the twist: it hasn't all been smooth sailing.
Just this month, in January 2026, a federal court in D.C. threw a massive wrench in the gears. The judge ruled that the Trump Department of Energy actually violated the Fifth Amendment by cancelling nearly $8 billion in clean energy grants. The court basically said you can't just snatch money back from projects that were already promised funding, especially when it looked like those projects were targeted because they were in "blue" states. It’s a legal mess that’s going to haunt the department for months.
The Power Players
Secretary Chris Wright is the face of it, but the roster behind him is filled with people from the "Nuclear Navy."
Take Brandon Williams, the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security. He’s a former submarine officer. Then there's Scott Pappano and Matthew Napoli. These guys aren't career bureaucrats; they are people who spent their lives thinking about reactors on ships. This tells you exactly where the department's head is at: they view energy through the lens of national security and military-grade reliability.
They also brought back Theodore Garrish to lead the Office of Nuclear Energy. The guy literally held the same job back under Reagan. It’s a "back to the future" approach, but with 2026 technology.
🔗 Read more: Measure E Los Angeles: What Really Happens to Your Property Taxes Now
What about your electric bill?
That’s the $11 billion question.
The DOE claims they are saving Americans that much by slashing 47 different regulations. They’ve gone after everything from ceiling fan standards to dehumidifier rules. Their logic is simple: less red tape equals cheaper power.
Whether that actually shows up on your monthly bill is still up for debate. While they are deregulating, they are also dealing with a grid that is under massive strain. The DOE had to issue 16 emergency orders in 2025 just to keep the lights on during peak demand. They blame the "energy subtraction" of the previous administration for the lack of reliable baseload power.
The Critical Mineral Scramble
We can't talk about the Trump Department of Energy without mentioning the "Mine of the Future."
The administration is terrified of being dependent on China for things like lithium and rare earth elements. So, they’ve started throwing hundreds of millions at companies that can extract these minerals from coal byproducts. It’s a weird synergy—using the waste from old energy to build the components for new tech.
Is it working?
Depends on who you ask.
If you’re in the oil and gas sector or the nuclear industry, 2026 feels like a golden era. The "energy dominance" strategy is providing the "predictability" that CEOs love. But if you’re a solar developer who just had your grant cancelled, it’s a nightmare.
What most people get wrong is thinking this is just a 1980s rerun. It’s not. The heavy focus on AI integration and the "Genesis Mission" makes this a very 21st-century version of conservatism. They aren't ignoring technology; they are trying to hijack it to serve a fossil-and-fission-first agenda.
Actionable Insights for 2026
If you're trying to navigate this new landscape, here is what you actually need to do:
💡 You might also like: The Real Toll: What Really Happened with Fatalities on 9 11
- Watch the Courts: The recent ruling against the DOE grant cancellations means some "green" money might flow back. If you're a contractor or investor, don't write off those projects just yet.
- Nuclear is the New Tech Play: Keep an eye on the Loan Programs Office. They are moving away from EV loans and toward "restarting" mothballed nuclear plants like the one in Pennsylvania.
- Grid Reliability is the Real Crisis: The shift back to coal and gas is a response to blackout fears. If you're in the industrial sector, the DOE's focus on "baseload" power is meant to ensure your operations don't go dark during the next heatwave.
- Rare Earths Matter: The $134 million in recent funding for REE (Rare Earth Elements) supply chains means there’s a huge opening for domestic mining and recycling startups.
The Trump Department of Energy is moving fast, and they aren't afraid to break things. Between the legal battles over funding and the sprint toward a nuclear-powered AI future, the energy sector is looking more volatile—and more interesting—than it has in years.