Federal regulators in charge of safely approving nuclear reactors in the United States said they are at risk of being fired by President Donald Trump if they slow his administration’s plans to deploy more nuclear power.

The three sitting members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission appeared before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday for the first oversight hearing of the independent agency since early 2023.

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In recent months, the Trump administration has sought to overhaul the NRC to accelerate the federal approval process for building new nuclear power and to bring more electricity onto the national grid.

But sweeping staff cuts and several high-profile departures from the NRC have sparked concerns in the private sector that the president is overreaching with the commission.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) sought to determine whether the sitting members of the commission shared those concerns.

“Should you decide that a nuclear design is unsafe, notwithstanding the wishes of [the Energy Department] or [the Defense Department] or anyone else, do you think you are at risk of being fired from the commission by a president who has demonstrated willingness to fire commissioners without cause?” Schiff asked, referring to the unprecedented dismissal of former Democratic Commissioner Christopher Hanson in June.

Commissioner Matthew Marzano said there is “pressure” from the administration but that it would not prevent the NRC from not licensing an unsafe reactor.

“If that does not meet our standards, we will not approve such a design,” Marzano said.

When pressed further about whether he could be fired by the administration for such a decision, Marzano said he thought it was a “possibility.”

Commissioner Bradley Crowell appeared to agree, telling the committee, “I think on any given day, I could be fired by the administration for reasons unknown.”

NRC Chairman David Wright was the only member to push back on speculation about a possible dismissal by the president. He echoed Marzano’s line of thinking, saying the commission would ignore the timeline ordered by Trump to approve new reactor designs if there was not sufficient information to make a safety decision.

But he did not directly answer whether he believed that decision would result in his own dismissal.

“It doesn’t matter,” Wright said. “I’m going to make the right decision, and I’ll stand by that decision.”

Trump first targeted the NRC through an executive order signed in May that called for the independent agency’s internal culture and licensing timeline to be reformed. He specifically ordered the commission to make decisions on reactor licenses within 18 months and prioritize reactor safety while also promoting the adoption of nuclear technology.

Senior White House officials confirmed at the time there would be a substantial reorganization of the agency. Trump fired Hanson soon after, marking the first time a commissioner had been fired from the NRC since it was created in 1975. And Republican Commissioner Annie Caputo announced her plans to retire from the agency one month later.

These departures, coupled with more than a dozen members of the senior leadership team leaving the commission, have stoked fears that the agency will be unable to safely and effectively accelerate the regulatory process.

At the same time, reports over the summer revealed that the NRC was facing pressure from the Department of Government Efficiency to “rubber-stamp” and expedite the president’s nuclear agenda.

Wright confirmed on Wednesday that DOGE representatives did use that language during a May meeting with top NRC staff. The chairman, however, testified that he quickly pushed back, affirming that safety is the top priority for the commissioners.

“Safety is not going to be compromised. … It’s our North Star, it’s our strike zone,” Wright said.

TRUMP’S OVERHAUL OF THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SPURS FEARS OF MORE DELAYS

Wright also sought to dissuade concerns regarding the NRC’s ability to carry out its mission, saying the agency has enough employees to advance new nuclear projects safely.

“We have the expertise on our staff now to do what needs to be done, and safety is not going to be compromised in any way, I can assure you that,” he said.