Trump Admin Secretly Cut Nuclear Safety Rules, Documents Show

The Trump administration secretly weakened nuclear safety standards to speed up approval for new reactor designs. This information comes from documents obtained by NPR. The changes reduced the required number of safety staff at future plants. They also relaxed rules on emergency planning and radiation exposure limits for nearby residents. The move was intended to help companies develop smaller, next-generation reactors. Critics argue it prioritizes corporate interests over public safety. In a separate investigation, U.S. officials have blamed systemic failures for a deadly midair crash near Washington, D.C. The National Transportation Safety Board found that air traffic control errors and pilot mistakes together caused the accident. The two reports highlight different approaches to federal safety oversight. One involves changing rules behind closed doors, while the other is a public examination of a failure.