Trump himself, during a recent campaign-style event in Texas, made veiled references to the project. “When I was in office, we started something the fake media didn’t want you to know,” he told the crowd. “Let’s just say — our moon isn’t going dark anymore.”
The implications are massive. As outlined in a Scientific American analysis, the introduction of nuclear reactors to the lunar surface raises significant questions about space militarization, radiation management, and international treaty violations. Despite Trump’s insistence that the project is “100% peaceful,” critics argue it lays the foundation for a space-based energy monopoly — or worse.
Putting a nuclear reactor on the moon? That’s not science fiction. That’s how you start a planetary arms race. #SpaceRace #TrumpMoonPlan— DeepSpace Policy Watch (@DSPWatch) August 7, 2025
The news has sent shockwaves through the international community. The European Space Agency has reportedly requested an emergency session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), citing possible violations of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bars nuclear weapons or reactors from being placed in orbit or on celestial bodies without international consent.
In response, Trump’s former national security advisor Robert O’Brien defended the plan during an interview with Fox News, saying, “This is not a weapon. It’s a power generator. If we don’t lead, China will — and they’re already testing lunar nuclear tech.”
That claim appears backed by recent intelligence reports. According to Defense One, Chinese state-run aerospace firms have been quietly developing their own fission modules for use on the moon by 2028. Trump’s inner circle has seized on this as justification for accelerating the U.S. timeline.
Still, many scientists are urging caution. A panel convened by the National Academy of Sciences last month warned that a rushed deployment of a lunar reactor without international collaboration could lead to “irreversible contamination” of the moon’s south pole region — one of the primary targets for future water and ice extraction.
The Trump reactor plan for the moon is real. The risks? Even more real. #LunarPolitics— Cosmic Watchdog (@cosmicwatchdog) August 7, 2025
What makes this story even more surreal is how little the public has known until now. While some details were hinted at in earlier coverage — including a 2020 Space.com report — most of the technical specs were buried in Department of Defense subcontracts related to “deep space infrastructure.”
A whistleblower within one of the affiliated tech firms recently spoke to ProPublica, alleging that certain safety benchmarks had been “skipped or minimized” in order to meet political deadlines. The source, who remains anonymous, said: “This isn’t just about exploration anymore. This is geopolitical chess, and the stakes are radioactive.”
Critics across the aisle are beginning to speak up. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), during a recent House committee session, said, “Trump’s administration not only left Earth in chaos — now they’re trying to leave their mark on the moon, too. Literally.” Meanwhile, some Republicans are distancing themselves from the plan altogether, fearing a backlash over potential environmental and diplomatic fallout.
NASA, for its part, has issued a cautiously worded press release acknowledging “ongoing partnerships in lunar surface energy research” but avoided directly naming the Trump-affiliated reactor program. Internally, however, NASA officials are reportedly split — some viewing it as a necessary leap for Artemis-era moon bases, others calling it a “rogue experiment” masquerading as innovation.
Public reaction has been swift and divided. Social media platforms lit up with trending hashtags like #NoNukesOnTheMoon and #TrumpSpaceForce. Some online communities are rallying behind the idea as a sign of American supremacy, while others view it as yet another reckless gamble with irreversible consequences.
As the countdown to launch begins — with testing phases set to begin in early 2026 at a secretive Nevada facility mapped in a Wired satellite investigation — the global debate over who controls space, and what powers they bring with them, has reignited.
Trump’s legacy may have started on Earth, but if this project moves forward as planned, it could leave a mark on the moon that outlasts every building he ever branded.
